Compression stockings are tight stockings that prevent leg swelling. These stockings do not cure the cause of the swelling. But they have many proven benefits and very few negative effects.
Benefits of Compression Stockings
Compression stockings have many proven benefits and very few downsides associated with them. Here are a few of the benefits.
Prevent Leg Swelling
Leg swelling is complicated. There are many different reasons for leg swelling. Sometimes, the swelling is the result of heart, kidney or liver problems. Other times, the cause is a problem with a hormone, like the thyroid hormone. But the most common causes of leg swelling are located in the legs. Sometimes the veins just have a tendency to dilate. This is part of a condition called dependent edema. And sometimes the cause is a problem with the valves we all have in our leg veins.
Compression stockings will not cure the problem that is causing the swelling. But they can help with the symptom. Wearing properly fitting compression stockings will prevent swelling from building up. For many people that can offer much needed relief. Their legs will feel lighter and they will be able to walk better because of it.
Relieve Heavy Legs from Vein Disease
If you work on your feet, you know that by the end of the day your legs can feel heavy. Some people even have night leg pain that prevents them from sleeping properly. Standing for prolonged periods can put stress on your muscles, but also on your bones. You can relieve some of this stress with compression stockings. Many people who work on their feet all day will choose to wear a compression hose to feel better at the end of their day.
One of the main reasons for this heavy feeling is when the valves inside our veins are not working properly. These valves are supposed to prevent pressure buildup. If the valves don’t work properly, pressure will build up in our legs. When that happens, we feel aches and heaviness.
Help Treat Leg Wounds
Compression is part of the treatment of venous ulcers. These ulcers are breaks in the skin that are a result of vein dysfunction. Compression is necessary to get these wounds to close. Sometimes, compression stockings are not enough. Some patients will need short-stretch, multi-layer compression. Others will require rigid and constant compression. For instance, with an Unna Boot.
Benefits for Athletes
Many athletes suffer from muscle fatigues and heavy legs after a hard workout. Graduated compression is proven to relieve these symptoms and accelerate recovery. You may have seen athletic compression garments? These are similar to medical compression stockings. Many athletes use them during training and after training as well.
Another problem after exercise is night muscle soreness. Some studies have shown benefit of compression to prevent this pain from happening. However, once the pain is present, compression probably does not help anymore.
But, Sometimes They Don’t Work
Despite all these benefits, compression stockings do not prevent blood clots from forming. They are not enough to prevent blood clots in the hospital or blood clots after surgery.
Another controversy is about their ability to prevent post thrombotic syndrome. This syndrome occurs after a vein blood clot. Some patients who have had a clot in a vein in their legs will develop long-term problems. For instance, heavy legs, skin changes, night cramps or even open sores. Many scientific studies have examined the utility of compression to prevent these symptoms. But unfortunately, while older studies showed promise, most modern studies have failed to do so. At least as of now, science does not support the use of these stockings to prevent post thrombotic syndrome.
Compression Stocking Types
Compression stockings come in many different varieties. This can make it hard to know which one to choose and how to fit it properly.
- First, they come in different heights. They can be up to the knee, the thigh or even pantyhose.
- Also, stockings come in different degrees of compression. They can be lighter or tighter.
- As far as appearances and material, stockings come in many styles. The days of beige stockings only are gone.
- A different type of stockings are the athletic kind. The athletic compression sometimes does not include the foot. They may be only on the calf. This type of stocking will not work for people who are looking for a stocking that can help with a medical issue.
Downsides of Compression Stockings
Honestly, there are very few. It boils down to whether you are willing to wear them or not. True, during the summer they can be hot. And also true, the medical type is not very fashionable. You probably cannot go to the beach with these on. But medically speaking, there are only a few instance where they can cause more harm then good.
Some people don’t like them. People who suffer from neuropathy leg pain might feel worse with them. If the artery blood flow is very limited, then the compression might pinch off what is left of the flow and cause pain or even worse, damage to the skin. For this reason, we avoid stockings in patients with advanced peripheral artery disease and especially if they have rest pain or a foot wound.
Another reason to avoid compression stockings is contact dermatitis. Some people react to nylon that most stockings have. These people will usually benefit from nylon-free stockings.
Choosing the Best Compression Stockings for Me
Okay. So you decided you need to start wearing compression stockings. How do you choose the best compression stocking for you?
Choose a Brand you Like
First, remember that compression stockings are a garment. At the end of the day they are a piece of clothing. There is a lot that goes into what we wear. And similar to other clothes that you wear, sometimes one brand works better for you than another. There isn’t always rhyme or reason for it. You just like one over the other. It is the same with stockings. So if one brand doesn’t work for you, don’t give up just yet. Try another.
Depending on your needs, you may get away with a non-medical brand. Some sock companies will have a few products with compression. For instance Smartwool has a few of these.
Find the Perfect Fit!
The second thing to remember is to get the best fit you can. Most people do not need tailor made stockings. Those are very expensive and are usually made for people with unusual problems or an unusual leg shape. Most of us can use a product off the shelf. But still, you should choose a product that fits you the best.
To achieve a good fit, you will need accurate measurements. Generally, most stocking manufacturers want to know the following measurements:
- The circumference of your leg at the ankle, calf and thigh.
- Calf length
- Thigh length
- Foot size
But remember, that there are small differences between brands. Again, the same as with clothes, with stockings you want to know exactly what measurements you are being asked to get. This step is so important, that sometimes your best bet would be to find a good fitter in a medical supply store or a physical therapy clinic to know your size.
Choose the Correct Strength
Compression stockings come in different degrees of compression. Some are light and others are tight. Of course the lighter stockings will be easier to put on. And of course the tighter stockings will feel… tight. But how do you choose?
First, choose depending on the purpose. If you need relief from heavy legs, you may be okay with light compression stockings. These are sometimes called 15-18 mmHg. On the other hand, if you have a problem with the vein valves, think about medium compression. This is called 20-30 mmHg. Finally, if you suffer from lymphedema or from an open leg wound, you might just need tight stockings. The degree of compression you should look for is 30-40 mmHg.
These rules are not set in stone. Some of it is trial and error. You should start with these degrees of compression, but don’t hesitate to make changes that fit your own specific needs. For instance, you may need tight stockings, but maybe you can’t get them on. In that case, it is better to wear lighter stockings than none at all.
Get the Correct Length
Compression stockings come in different lengths. If you only have calf swelling, you probably don’t need thigh height stockings. But if your swelling goes all the way up, you may even need a pantyhose compression garment.
How do Compression Stockings Work?
The trick about compression stockings is in the weaving. They are tighter at the bottom and less tight at the top. This creates a gradient. The gradient works opposite to gravity. Also, the pressure works against the forces that push fluid into the leg. So, the pressure the stockings are creating opposes fluid from coming out of the blood stream.
It is important to note that once the pressure is off, the effect is off. This means that the stockings will work for as long as you wear them. But once you take them off, they will stop working. Basically, the swelling will probably return.
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