If you have varicose veins or other circulatory or nerve problems, it is important that you wear compression stockings to reduce the pain or symptoms you’ve been experiencing from these diseases.
How many hours a day should you wear compression stockings?
It’s not harmful for you to wear compression stockings 24 hours a day but it is also not necessary. It is recommended that you wear them for as long as you want for maximum benefit. You should consider the symptoms you are experiencing so that you can also know how many hours you should wear them. For instance if you are hoping to ease discomfort and fatigue after a workout you can consider wearing them for 3-4 hours immediately following exercise.
If you want to reduce leg swelling try to put on your compression stockings before standing for a long period of time. It is important that you talk to a professional to know more about your condition and to know the exact hours or the right amount of time you should be wearing your compression stockings.
Compression therapy should not be used while you sleep but it is sometimes recommended for people on bed rest or people with limited movement like pregnant women and people recovering from surgery, they are the ones who benefit from wearing compression stockings during times that they can’t properly.
Who should not wear compression stockings?
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should take off your compression stockings and call your doctor immediately for an advice:
- Loss of circulation
- Discomfort
- Redness
- Corns
- Pain in joints
- Tingling feet
- Allergic skin reactions
People who are experiencing these medical conditions should talk to their doctor before trying or doing compression therapy:
- Skin infection
- Congestive heart failure
- Ischaemia
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Diabetes
All of these symptoms and medical conditions don’t usually need compression, giving compression to your body when you are experiencing one of these symptoms and medical conditions can worsen your problem and lead to surgeries that is why it’s important that you follow up to your personal doctor or to talk to a professional about the changes your body is going though when you are doing compression therapy or if you want to try compression therapy, it should be recommended by a health professional first.
What should you look for in compression stockings?
These are some of the things that you should consider when you are finding the perfect compression stockings:
- Correct sizing – It is important that your compression stockings are not too tight that you need to struggle and fight or tug your stockings just to put them on and they should not be too loose, that they can be easily removed or they move around your feet.
- Compression level – You should know how much compression your feet, legs and ankles need. Apply too much compression can give you the opposite benefit and can cause serious problems.
- Fabric quality – It is important that you look for compression stockings that have exquisite fabric that can last for a long time and is durable.
