How Tight Compression Socks Work

One of the newest trends in fashion is tight compression socks. They are incredibly comfortable and can even help improve circulation. How do they work? They make your feet fit together better, and they hold the skin taut so that the skin stays as close to the underlying surface as possible. If you suffer from varicose veins, spider veins, or any other venous condition then tight compression socks could be just the thing to help you.

The way they work is that the socks are laced tighter at the ankle and tighter around the calf. By reducing the diameter of large veins, tight compression socks actually increase the size of the blood vessel leading to the vein, thus increasing the speed and volume of blood moving through that vein. Consider it: if they squeezed into those larger veins, the blood would simply be pushed all the way out through the vein to the buttock, causing a pooling effect. Tightly laced tight compression socks also prevent the blood from flowing the other way, which is back down the leg.

Wearing compression socks on a regular basis has been shown to be beneficial for people with circulatory conditions, but they are especially effective for people with leg swelling and varicose veins. They may not work for everyone, but they have been extremely helpful for people with post-operative leg swelling, leg ulcers, and varicose veins. For most people, their feet feel considerably better after wearing the socks for a while, and leg swelling usually goes away after a week or so. So compression socks are not only a great option for leg swelling, but also for varicose veins and orthostatic hypotension, too!