(Newswire.net — February 18, 2020) —
How Compression socks work
Compression socks work by improving blood flow in your lower extremities by slightly squeezing the legs which helps your veins function as they should. Veins are responsible for bringing blood back to your heart. With this function, veins must bring blood from your feet all the way back to your heart fighting against gravity the whole way.
When vein function is pushed beyond its capability such as when one is standing or sitting up in a chair for prolonged periods of time, vein function decreases. This can cause regional swelling in your legs or feet as well as varicose veins with repeat exposure to stressors of extended standing or sitting. By squeezing your veins, you decrease the amount of stress exerted on your veins and in essence help your veins push blood from your lower extremities back to your heart.
Health benefits
While compression socks can make your feet and legs less sore at the end of the day, they also carry a multitude of added health benefits. Compression socks can be utilized as a preventative measure against clot formation as they keep the blood in your veins moving which prevent the formation of clots.
A condition known as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is caused by pooling of blood in the veins leading to a blockage of a vein most commonly found in the veins of legs of people that sit for a very extended period of time. Compression socks can help reduce the risk for deep vein thrombosis by decreasing the pooling of blood in the veins before it gets the chance to form a clot.
In addition to preventing DVT, compression socks can improve your overall circulatory health which comes with many added benefits. Many athletes and people who are on their feet for extended periods of time choose to wear compression socks since with improved circulation in the legs comes with less soreness, swelling, and faster recovery.
Improved circulation of the veins also decreases the likelihood of developing varicose veins. Varicose Veins are when blood has enough difficulty fighting gravity that some blood ends up flowing back down your leg, which causes a pooling of blood in your veins and causes veins to bulge.
When and Where to Wear Compression Socks
As a general rule of thumb, compression socks can be worn any time you are awake and moving around. This includes if you are sitting for a prolonged period of time. Any time you wear shoes you can wear compression socks and still get all of the added health and comfort benefits. It should be noted that compression socks should not be worn while you sleep.
When you’re sleeping the added compression of the socks can cause the veins in your legs to close which closes off circulation to your legs. This is because when you are sleeping your legs are no longer having the added pressure of fighting against gravity since they are at about the same level as your heart as you lay down.
Types of compression socks
As with regular socks there are many different styles of compression socks. The standard compression sock that people think about are the knee-high compression socks but there are also ankle-high compression socks, thigh-high compression socks, compression stockings, and even compression leg sleeves. In addition to different styles of compression socks there are different ratings of compression.
The rating of compression is measured in millimeters of mercury which is a measure of how much the compression sock compresses the area they are designed for. The range is from a mild compression of 8mm Hg all the way to prescription grade 50mm Hg. When deciding on what rating of compression is right for you ask your primary care physician for what they believe will best fit you and your lifestyle.