external pressure cuff for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a well established treatment for surgical patients [1]. The exact mechanisms by which DVT is prevented are poorly understood. This study presents a finite element model of the calf cross section, based on MR images of calf geometry, to examine the variation in calf deformation during compression with four different cuff configurations. Cuff pressure distribution is modelled using interface pressures measured in a volunteer study and gross calf deformation is compared with MR images of the compressed calf.