Ketoprofen together with various permeation enhancers was incorporated into a novel soft hydrogel which is semi-solid in a container and to form a thin film within a few minutes after applying on the skin. The effect of various enhancers on the skin permeation of ketoprofen from a soft hydrogel was investigated using in vitro and in vivo method. In vitro rat skin permeation of ketoprofen from soft hydrogel was conducted using modified Keshary-Chien diffusion cells. In vivo ketoprofen absorption was also investigated in rats, and the results were compared with that of commercial products. Anti-inflammatory activities were determined using carrageenan-induced paw edema method and adjuvant-induced arthritis method in rats. The anti-inflammatory activity of ketoprofen soft hydrogel formulation with that of commercial products were compared. In vitro as well as in vivo studies showed that $HPE-101^{circledR}$ was the most effective skin permeation enhancer among those used in this study. Addition of an adhesive (polyisobutylene) in the soft hydrogel decreased skin permeation of ketoprofen. Paw edema and anti-arthritis tests showed that soft hydrogel containing $HPE-101^{circledR}$ was more effective than the commercial products, which was consistent with the in vivo absorption experiment results.