Extensible dressings

A wound dressing assembly comprising:

• a. an absorbent body having a longitudinally extending centerline, transversely extending centerline and a periphery, the absorbent body, having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being opposite the first surface;
• b. an adhesive contacting the second surface of the absorbent body so as to form a region of positioning adhesive at the center of the second surface of the absorbent body, the region of positioning adhesive having a periphery;
• c. a backing layer adhered to the second surface of the absorbent body by the region of positioning adhesive, the backing layer having an inner zone at least partially surrounded by an outer zone,
• such that the periphery of the region of positioning adhesive defines an inner boundary of a surface area of the backing layer, such surface area of the backing layer extending from the periphery of the region of positioning adhesive in a direction away from periphery of the region of positioning adhesive, beyond at least a portion of the periphery of the absorbent body, to the outer zone of the backing layer, such surface area being free of or substantially free of adhesive, and the periphery of the absorbent body being spaced away from the periphery of the region of positioning adhesive, whereby transfer of movement or stretch of the attached backing layer to absorbent body is minimized.