Can Compression Stockings Be Too Tight? A Guide to Common Side Effect & Mistakes
The purpose of compression socks and stockings is to reduce swelling. They massage your legs and ankles gently to promote blood flow from your legs to your heart. The best circulation socks are worn for comfort, improve athletic performance, and help prevent significant medical issues.
In a nutshell, they increase blood flow. They can with recovery against leg pain and swelling. They can also help you avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a type of blood clot, and other circulatory issues.
Compression socks can also help with swelling and soreness in the ankles and legs.
What Are Compression Socks And How Do They Work?
Compression stockings put pressure on your legs and ankles, which might help you feel better.:
- lower the diameter of major veins by boosting blood flow volume and velocity
- aid blood flow up toward the heart
- prevent blood from refluxing downhill to the foot or laterally into superficial veins
Compression stockings come in a variety of styles. Graduated compression stockings, anti-embolism stockings, and nonmedical support hosiery are the three main compression stockings.
Compression Sock Side Effects
Check your legs on a daily basis for any skin changes, such as irritation or redness, which might arise as a result of wearing compression stockings. These changes could mean one of the following:
- your stockings are too tight;
- you're not correctly putting on or taking off your stockings;
- you have an illness;
- you're allergic to the stocking material
It's critical to obtain a suitable prescription and ensure that compression stockings and socks are worn correctly.
Top 5 Mistakes To Avoid While Using Compression Socks
- Folding your socks is the first step.
When the socks are longer than we need, we usually fold them on the top. However, keep in mind that compression stockings have compression. You are doubling the compression at the point when you fold it, which can be dangerous. The stockings' compression helps blood flow to the heart. Folding the stockings increases the pressure, which is not recommended.
- Ignoring the sizing chart in favor of comfort
The most common complaint we get is that compression stockings are too tight compared to regular socks. Knee pain relief socks are intended to be tighter than regular socks. The tightness of the stockings is a property of compression. If you don't feel any tightness in your stockings, they need to be replaced. For the sake of comfort, many consumers disregard the sizing chart and opt for a larger size. This will not fix the problem of why the stocking is worn in the first place.
- Putting on regular socks over compression stockings.
Customers frequently question if they should wear their regular socks over their compression stockings. Certainly not. The compression stockings can also be worn as a regular sock. The textiles were chosen with comfort in mind. However, you can wear an ordinary sock on top of them as a preventative measure to protect your compression stockings (which are pricey). It is a choice, not a must.
- The use of compression stockings at night
Compression stockings aid in the flow of blood to the heart by aiding it against gravity. Your body is parallel to the ground while you sleep. It is not recommended to wear compression stockings when sleeping. However, there are a few circumstances when the doctor has advised the usage of compression stockings.
- Consistently wearing the same compression level for over a year
Compression stockings are grouped into three compression classes, as you all know. The doctor prescribes a specific compression level based on the reason. It's usually a good idea to check in with your doctor every six months or even a year to see if you still require the same compression level or if you need to adjust it.
Compression stockings may resemble a typical pair of socks in appearance. But keep in mind that they are there for a reason. Avoid making any of these errors by wearing them daily for a faster recovery and a healthier life.
Final Thoughts
Smooth the stockings against your skin, so they are flat. Avoid clumping. Make certain they aren't excessively long. The tops should not be folded or rolled down because this will make them too tight. It could obstruct blood flow or, like a tourniquet, cut off circulation.
You'll probably want to keep best circulation socks on most of the time if your doctor advised you to do so. You can, however, remove them to shower or bathe. You can wear socks, slippers, and shoes on top of your compression stockings. Consult your doctor to determine how often and for how long you should use them.
For more information regarding the best compression recovery wear, do visit Incrediwear today!