Compression socks are specialty clothing items designed to promote blood flow, reduce pain, and decrease inflammation in the legs and ankles. Doctors often recommend them to patients as a means of treating spider and varicose veins and preventing blood clots in the legs, but they’re also popular among runners, frequent fliers, and workers who stand on their feet all day. Read on to find out about how compression socks work and why everyone should have at least one pair.
IMAGE: UNSPLASH
How They Work
Compression socks are designed to be tightest around the ankles, then become looser as they move up the calf. The reason for this design is that a combination of the force of gravity and poor circulation can make it harder for blood to travel from the lower extremities back to the heart, which can lead to foot, ankle, and leg swelling, pain, and an increased risk of blood clots.
Compression socks alleviate these problems by putting pressure on the extremities to encourage blood flow and limit swelling. The designs available at SockWell USA balance this practical function with fashion by incorporating tasteful colors and patterns that perfectly complement women’s wardrobes, which makes them a good choice for fashion-conscious consumers.
Help With Managing Medical Conditions
Poor circulation can lead to a host of medical problems, including plantar fasciitis, leg ulcers, deep vein thrombosis, and others. Doctors often recommend the use of compression socks for these disorders.
They may also recommend them to pregnant women, those who have had lymph nodes removed as a part of cancer treatment, post-surgical patients, and patients who want to get rid of spider and varicose veins.
Minimizing Discomfort
Compression socks aren’t just for patients struggling with medical conditions. They can also help to alleviate the pain and swelling associated with certain activities and lifestyles. Workers who spend their entire days on their feet or sitting in the same position often feel their legs becoming heavy, achy, or restless. These symptoms can be alleviated by wearing compression socks.
Compression socks are also perfect for anyone who spends a lot of time traveling. That goes for both flight attendants and frequent fliers. Prolonged vehicle travel, which requires long periods of sitting in the same position, can also cause aches and pains in the feet and legs. Wearing compression socks while traveling will minimize that discomfort.
Improving Athletic Performance
Compression socks can also help runners train for races by reducing lactate concentration in the lower extremities during long runs. Since they improve blood circulation, they can also reduce muscle soreness and help runners recover faster from training sessions. Since modern compression socks come in a wide variety of colors, patterns, and styles, many runners buy several pairs and incorporate them into their athletic wardrobes.
Why Everyone Should Have at Least One Pair
Don’t fall into any of the categories described above? Even people who don’t have underlying medical conditions, jobs that require prolonged periods on their feet, or serious running addictions can benefit from having at least one pair of compression socks. Wear them after a long day to help the legs, ankles, and feet recover just once and they’ll soon become a wardrobe staple.
The Bottom Line
Compression socks are great for improving circulation, reducing the risk of serious health problems like deep vein thrombosis, and alleviating the pain and swelling associated with prolonged periods of standing or sitting. When purchased from a specialized sock manufacturer, they can also add a touch of color and style to any wardrobe.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
COMMENTS