  This paper presents a synthesis of different studies willing to bring a
scientific insight into leg compression, which is the process of applying
external compression forces onto the human leg with stockings or socks, for
enhancing the venous flow. It seems obvious that the pressure distribution on
the leg affects the blood flow in the veins. However, the pressure distribution
that leads to the optimal blood flow is not trivial, and it is different with
regard to the application: medical treatment or recovering after an effort in
sports. In order to improve the scientific knowledge about this topic, a
numerical 2D model was set up for computing stress fields inside the leg,
accounting for the actual material properties of both the compression stocking
and of the leg biological tissues. Suitable identification methods, based
either on model updating from digital image correlation (for the compression
stockings), or on image warping and model updating from MRI scans (for the
internal leg tissues), were developed for retrieving these material properties.
