Medically reviewed by Dr. Michael Darder OBGYN — Written by Kari Johnson
Published Jan 4th, 2018
You may wonder if they’re right for you, or if you have anything going on in your life that would even be affected by compression socks. Here are some scenarios where you’d benefit from compression socks. See which ones apply to you. You might be surprised!
You’re on your feet a lot: You’re a teacher, delivery person, or healthcare professional. Many jobs require a lot of time on your feet, and can leave you with aching legs. The best compression socks offer a lot of options - choose from prints and fun colors, and you have comfort and stylishness. Wearing compression doesn’t mean you have to be boring every day. A range of options means you can pick from colorful and splashy one day, and neutral the next. Get compression without announcing to the world that you’re wearing it. If you wear a uniform to your job, socks might be one of the only ways to change your look from day to day. Pressure socks look more fun than ever, and they help stop legs from swelling. End your day with happy legs by putting on a pair of circulation socks first thing in the morning. Choose whichever color or style speaks to you that day.
You have to sit for long periods of time: Maybe you’ve had an injury and need to recover. Perhaps your health situation causes you to need a lot of bedrest. Compression socks make sure your circulation stays normal when activity isn’t an option. Break up the boredom with all the sock choices available. You’ll be wishing daytime television had that many options!
You travel: Wear them on long flights - it’s recommended by doctors. A long flight, in this case, refers to anything over four hours. Although shorter flights can seem long, also! Go ahead and wear compression socks during those, too. Their graduated compression is designed to keep the blood in your legs moving. It is recommended to get up and walk around a little during your flight. However, this could be interrupted by flight conditions or by your need to rest. Sleeping does help the flight go by faster, and flight socks keep the blood flowing while you get your Z’s.
Once there, put the socks on first thing in the morning to make sure days filled with sight-seeing end with a minimum of swelling and pain. Since they look like regular socks, they fit into your vacationing wardrobe just fine. Pair them with your comfortable shoes and enjoy. They fit easily into luggage and are quick to put on.
You’re physically active: You don’t have to be a hardcore athlete to treat your legs like they’re important and need special care. With athletes saying they benefit from wearing pressure socks, you owe it to yourself to try them. Running, hiking, and long-distance walking are just a few activities during which compression socks could help you. Your legs are less likely to get fatigued during performance. They’re less likely to be sore afterwards. Perhaps you apply a liniment afterwards, take painkillers, or just grin and bear it. These socks could replace all that. Since you’re taking care of your legs efficiently, be sure to stretch them beforehand. There are many stretches you can do. The ankle area stabilizes you and keeps you balanced, and keeping it in good shape can help prevent injury. Do balance exercises like standing on one leg. Get in touch with your ankles and their range of motion by circling your feet both directions. Then hit the trails or mat knowing you’re ready to perform.
You want to prevent spider veins and varicose veins: Wearing compression socks can help prevent them. While spider veins can be covered using corrective makeup, it’s better to just prevent them. If you want to keep your legs young-looking and blemish free, wear pressure socks. If you do a lot of other things to keep your legs looking good, add this to your routine for extra credit!
You’ve had a blood clot in the past: If you’ve had problems with these in the past, you’re more likely to have them again. Compression socks are recommended for prevention. You probably have already worn them and are accustomed to their clinical look. Break out of this rut with the best compression socks - they now come in fun colors and patterns. These aren’t your drugstore’s compression socks!
You have deep vein thrombosis risk factors: Know your risk of getting deep vein thrombosis. Age, weight, and activity levels are just some reasons to wear compression socks. A small percentage of people have a genetic predisposition to it. Ward off the worry by wearing a pair of our socks. Talk to your doctor about your risk of circulation problems.
If you’re curious: Never worn compression socks? That’s great! You only need to buy a pair (or two, or three) and take them for a test drive. See how they make a difference in your day. See if they look and feel better than socks you saw or wore that one time. You truly won’t look like you’re wearing something specifically engineered to improve circulation, but we think you’ll feel it! Because they look like everyday socks, nobody is going to ask, “What’s on your feet?” Though if you like them, you might answer, “My new best friend!”
They are for everyone: With these examples in mind, it’s apparent that compression socks are for about everyone. Luckily, there are many styles and colors of socks, because not everyone needs the same thing. Not everyone likes the same things. Everyone wants what will fit in with what they’re already wearing. Solid and more neutral colors are good for business wear. Fun prints are great for breaking up the boredom. For those in healthcare, they can be fun when worn with patterned scrubs. You can select from socks that are understated or socks with colorful designs. They’re comfortable, stylish, and they’re for you.