PROFORE ANKLE KIT

CRITICAL SAFETY NOTICE: Compression bandaging systems are contraindicated in peripheral arterial disease. An ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) assessment must be performed and documented before any multilayer compression system is applied. The Profore Ankle Kit is applied by trained healthcare professionals only as part of the Profore multilayer compression system. It is not for patient self-application.

The ankle is the most anatomically complex part of the lower limb for compression bandaging. The medial and lateral malleoli create bony prominences on either side of the ankle. The hollows around these prominences are vulnerable to pressure damage when compression bandaging is applied directly without prior shaping. Filling these anatomical hollows with shaped padding before the main compression layers are applied ensures even pressure distribution across the ankle and reduces the risk of pressure damage at the bony prominences. The Profore Ankle Kit is an ankle-shaping component from Smith & Nephew for use with the Profore multilayer compression system. Three sizes based on ankle circumference: 18cm to 25cm, 25cm to 30cm, and 30cm and above. Applied by trained clinical staff before the main bandage layers.

The Profore Ankle Kit is a regulated medical device from Smith & Nephew. It is a pre-cut, shaped padding component designed to prepare the ankle for compression bandaging as part of the Profore multilayer compression system. The kit contains shaped padding pieces that are applied around the bony prominences of the ankle, specifically the medial and lateral malleoli and the surrounding anatomical hollows, before the main bandage layers are applied.

The ankle presents specific challenges for compression bandaging that the rest of the lower leg does not. The lower leg from ankle to knee has a broadly cylindrical profile that allows compression bandaging to distribute pressure relatively evenly. At the ankle, the malleoli project laterally and medially, creating prominent points with deep hollows on either side. When compression bandaging is applied over this irregular contour without prior shaping, the bandage bridges across the hollows and concentrates pressure at the malleolar prominences. This pressure concentration can cause tissue damage at the prominences and insufficient compression in the hollows.

The Profore Ankle Kit addresses this by providing shaped padding that fills the anatomical hollows around the ankle before the compression layers are applied. With the hollows filled, the ankle presents a more even profile for the overlying padding and compression bandage layers, allowing them to distribute pressure more uniformly across the ankle area.

Three sizes are available based on ankle circumference measurement: 18cm to 25cm for smaller ankles, 25cm to 30cm for medium ankles, and 30cm and above for larger ankles. Ankle circumference is measured at the narrowest point above the malleoli.

Measure ankle circumference before selecting the kit size. Ankle circumference is measured at the narrowest point of the ankle above the malleoli, not around the heel or across the widest part. Select the kit size that corresponds to the measured circumference.

Anatomical Shaping of the Ankle

The pre-cut, shaped padding pieces in the Profore Ankle Kit are designed to conform to the contours of the ankle and fill the hollows around the malleoli. When positioned correctly and held in place, they transform the irregular ankle profile into a smoother, more even surface. The main padding layer and compression bandage layers applied over this shaped surface then encounter a more uniform contour, allowing them to generate and distribute compression more evenly across the ankle area.

Pressure Distribution and Malleolar Protection

At the malleoli, the skin overlies bone with very little soft tissue in between. This makes the malleoli susceptible to pressure damage under compression bandaging if pressure is concentrated at these points. By filling the hollows around the malleoli before the main bandage layers are applied, the Profore Ankle Kit reduces the concentration of pressure at the malleolar prominences. The compression from the overlying layers is spread across a broader surface area, including the filled hollows, reducing peak pressure at the bony points.

Integration with the Profore System

The Profore Ankle Kit is applied at the start of the Profore system application, before the wound contact layer, padding, conforming, and outer compression layers. It is not a replacement for any of these layers but a preparatory step that optimises the ankle anatomy for the compression layers that follow. The clinical outcomes associated with the Profore system are based on the complete system applied in the correct sequence, including appropriate ankle preparation.

Size Selection by Ankle Circumference

The three sizes of Profore Ankle Kit correspond to ankle circumference ranges: 18cm to 25cm, 25cm to 30cm, and 30cm and above. Ankle circumference determines the volume of shaping padding needed to adequately fill the hollows around the ankle. A kit that is too small for the ankle does not adequately fill the hollows. A kit selected for the measured ankle circumference provides the appropriate amount of padding for the anatomy being prepared.

Who Applies the Profore Ankle Kit

• Applied by trained healthcare professionals only.
• Appropriate applicators include district nurses, tissue viability nurses, and community nurses trained in multilayer compression bandaging.
• ABPI must be completed and documented before the first application of the compression system.

Measuring Ankle Circumference

• Measure the ankle circumference at the narrowest point above the malleoli before selecting the kit size.
• Select the Profore Ankle Kit size that corresponds to the measured circumference.

Application within the Profore System

• Apply the Profore Ankle Kit before all other compression layers.
• Position the shaped padding pieces to fill the hollows around the medial and lateral malleoli.
• Ensure the padding sits flat and does not create ridges or bulges over the malleoli.
• Proceed with the wound contact layer, padding, conforming, and outer compression layers once ankle shaping is complete.

Ensure the ankle kit padding fills the malleolar hollows smoothly without creating pressure ridges over the prominences themselves. The padding should sit in the hollows and create a smooth transition, not mound over the bony points. If the padding does not sit smoothly, reposition before applying the overlying layers.

Profore Ankle Kit 18cm - 25cm

For patients with an ankle circumference between 18cm and 25cm measured at the narrowest point above the malleoli. Suited to smaller ankles. The shaped padding pieces in this size are proportioned for the ankle dimensions within this circumference range.

Profore Ankle Kit 25cm - 30cm

For patients with an ankle circumference between 25cm and 30cm. Suited to medium ankles. The most commonly used size in a typical adult community nursing cohort. The shaped padding pieces provide appropriate malleolar hollow coverage for ankles in this circumference range.

Profore Ankle Kit 30cm and above

For patients with an ankle circumference of 30cm or greater. Suited to larger ankles, including those with significant oedema that has not yet resolved. The shaped padding pieces are proportioned for the greater ankle dimensions in this range. As oedema resolves under compression treatment and ankle circumference decreases, reassess the appropriate kit size at subsequent dressing changes.

Ankle circumference should be remeasured if the patient's limb dimensions change significantly, particularly as oedema resolves in the early weeks of compression treatment. A size reduction may be appropriate as the ankle circumference decreases.

Contraindications for the Compression System

• Peripheral arterial disease with ABPI below 0.6.
• Confirmed limb ischaemia.
• Severe uncontrolled cardiac failure.

Cautions

• ABPI between 0.6 and 0.8: reduced compression under specialist supervision only.
• Peripheral neuropathy: reduced sensation impairs the patient's ability to report pressure pain.
• Reassess ankle circumference as oedema resolves and select a smaller kit size if appropriate.

Warning Signs After Application

• Pain, tightness, or pressure points at the ankle or malleoli after the system is applied.
• Cold toes, pallor, numbness, or tingling.
• Any of these requires immediate removal of all bandage layers and clinical reassessment.

When the Profore Ankle Kit Is Used

The Profore Ankle Kit is used at the start of every Profore multilayer compression system application for patients who require ankle shaping before compression bandaging. It is a standard preparatory component for patients undergoing Profore compression therapy for venous leg ulcer management. The kit is selected based on ankle circumference at each application. As oedema resolves under compression treatment, ankle circumference typically reduces, and the kit size may need to be reassessed over the course of treatment.

Ankle Kit as Part of the Complete Profore System

The Profore Ankle Kit is one component of the complete Profore multilayer compression system from Smith & Nephew. The full system applies wound contact, ankle shaping, padding, conforming, and outer compression layers in sequence. The Profore Ankle Kit contributes to the ankle preparation step that allows the overlying compression layers to function optimally at the anatomically most challenging part of the lower limb.

The Profore Ankle Kit is a regulated medical device and does not require a prescription. All three sizes are available from Pharmacy Planet for clinical purchasers.

Our pharmacists can advise on ankle kit size selection and on other Profore system components.

This is a clinical product for use as part of the Profore multilayer compression system by trained healthcare professionals. ABPI assessment must precede use of the compression system.

• Store in a cool, dry place away from direct heat and sunlight.
• Do not store above 25 degrees C.
• Keep in original packaging until use.
• Check expiry date before use.
• Keep out of reach of children.

Pharmacy Planet is a GPhC registered online pharmacy. All three Profore Ankle Kit sizes are genuine Smith & Nephew products stocked through regulated UK supply chains.

Our pharmacists can advise on the full Profore system component range and on compression therapy for venous leg ulcer management.

References

1. Smith & Nephew. Profore Ankle Kit — Product Information. Smith & Nephew. https://www.smith-nephew.com. Accessed June 2026.
2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Chronic wounds: advanced wound dressings and antimicrobial dressings. NICE Evidence Review. https://www.nice.org.uk. Accessed June 2026.
3. NHS. Venous leg ulcer: treatment and compression therapy. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/leg-ulcer. Accessed June 2026.
4. Wounds UK. Best Practice Statement: Compression hosiery. https://www.wounds-uk.com. Accessed June 2026.