Compression stockings or tights, whichever is more comfortable. How to choose compression hosiery? Which compression stockings to choose
Compression hosiery is an indispensable element in the treatment of various diseases of the limbs, as well as during active sports. There are many types of knitwear, which are also divided into compression classes. Please remember that to use compression stockings effectively, you must consult your doctor. But for the sake of general information, we present here a general classification of compression products. You will learn in our article how to choose which is better, what types there are and how to choose this kind.
How to choose a compression class?
Choosing compression hosiery with a suitable compression class is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. Compression class is a key parameter of this type of product. Here are the main QC parameters in accordance with the labeling:
0: Prevention of varicose veins.
1: Prevention in the risk zone is edema, the initial stages of varicose veins, prevention during pregnancy and after childbirth.
2: Revealed varicose veins, thrombophlebitis. This type of compression is also worn after vein surgery.
3: Varicose veins with trophic disorders. Postthrombotic disease, deep vein thrombosis. Lymphovenous insufficiency.
4: The fourth compression class is used for lymphedema and burns.
| Indications / Compression class | Compression class 0 | 1st compression class | 2nd compression class | 3rd compression class | 4th compression class |
| Prevention (travel, mj-1) | |||||
| Prevention in the risk area: Edema. Heredity Initial stages of varicose veins. Pregnancy. After childbirth. |
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| Varicose veins Before and after vein surgery. Thrombophlebitis. |
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| Varicose disease with trophic disorders. Postthrombotic disease, deep vein thrombosis. Lymphovenous insufficiency. |
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| Lymphedema. Burns. |
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Which is better: compression stockings or tights?
If there are no specific restrictions, then the person himself chooses whether to wear compression stockings or tights. Most types of compression products are suitable for disease prevention and mild varicose veins. In the case of lymphedema, special flat-knit compression stockings with high resting pressure are required: a serious disease requires serious treatment! It is important to remember that the longer the product, the stronger the compression effect, which means the more effective the treatment. Therefore, it is believed that stockings are more effective than knee socks, and tights are more effective than stockings. There are also a number of restrictions: you cannot wear knee socks if varicose veins are in the popliteal area; You should not wear stockings if varicose veins are in the upper thigh. The elastic band of the product should not injure the veins, especially in damaged, unevenly dilated areas.
| 1 The choice is at the discretion of the user, but for diseases (not prevention) everything is better except knee socks. * Cannot be used when varicose veins are located in the area under the knee. ** Cannot be used when varicose veins are expressed in the upper thigh or, for example, it is dangerous to use when removing a large saphenous vein. In other words, the elastic band of the product should not injure the veins. It can injure a vein when it falls on an area of “uneven” expansion of the veins. |
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| Indications / Product type 1 | Knee socks* | Stockings** | Tights | Tights |
| Prevention. | ||||
| Prevention. Edema. Initial varicose veins. Pregnancy. After childbirth. |
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| Varicose veins | ||||
| Lymphedema. | Special flat-knit compression jersey with high resting pressure. | |||
Compression hosiery companies
High-quality compression hosiery must meet three parameters:
- Medical quality - providing the necessary therapeutic effect;
- Operational quality - ease of use;
- Visual quality is an aesthetic element.
The best products made from compression knitwear meet the European standard RAL-GZ 387. This is the most stringent European standard for this type of product, and not all manufacturing companies follow it. RAL-GZ 387 regulates the composition, safety of materials and, of course, compression properties. If the product does not meet this standard, then the medical effectiveness of the knitwear is considered unconfirmed. One of the few companies whose products fully comply with the European standard RAL-GZ 387 is the German company medi. The size range of medi compression products is wide-ranging: at least seven sizes, plus options for large hips. In this way, the product can be selected for the patient with the highest precision. The price of a quality product depends on the type of product - and, of course, on the manufacturer, but truly high-quality knitwear cannot be cheap. Most companies do not pay attention to the aesthetic properties of knitwear, paying attention only to compression and medical properties. But a quality product must also look good, which is why companies such as medi offer various design and color options to satisfy the aesthetic needs of the most demanding customers.
How to choose a medi series?
The medi company has many lines of compression hosiery. The choice of series depends on what parameters are needed and liked by the user. Transparent stockings and tights are the mediven elegance series, matte, for hiding spider veins - mediven comfort. These are very soft products, comfortable to put on. Series for men - mediven active. Mediven plus is an elegant, opaque and fairly dense compression jersey for both men and women.
The mj-1 series is ideal for disease prevention. For those who love to travel, the best choice is the mediven travel series, and for pregnant women - special models mediven elagance and mediven plus, as well as the thrombexin series (it is recommended to start wearing two weeks before and after childbirth - exactly when the body is experiencing strong load periods). Compression hosiery for operations is the struva series. If the patient has serious disorders, then the treatment must be serious: in the case of trophic ulcers, mediven forte products are needed. In addition, medi has a budget series of duomed compression hosiery.
| Parameter / Series CT | Mediven Elegance | Mediven Comfort (the softest MCT medi) |
Mediven Plus | Mediven Forte | Duomed | Mediven Travel | Mediven Active | mj-1 | Maternity models | Thrombexin | Struva |
| Transparency (wide choice of colors) | |||||||||||
| Matte jersey (hide veins, stars) |
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| Softness (when wearing + easier to put on) |
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| For men | |||||||||||
| Fully opaque | |||||||||||
| Serious disorders, trophic ulcers | |||||||||||
| Economy | |||||||||||
| Prevention | |||||||||||
| Fashion, limited editions, fashion | |||||||||||
| Trips | |||||||||||
| Men's knee socks for the office | |||||||||||
| Vein and oncological surgeries | |||||||||||
| Childbirth | |||||||||||
| Pregnancy | |||||||||||
Considering the questions and topics that constantly arise here about compression hosiery during pregnancy, I think you will be interested in the results of our research in the process of choosing brands for an online store.
Since there are so many brands, we conducted a comparative analysis based on 2 key consumer criteria:
- Confirmed product quality
- Adequate price
We omit other criteria (convenience of working with the supplier, commercial conditions, assortment), since they ultimately did not influence the choice.
Many of you are also faced with a similar choice - which brand to use? - therefore, we hope that our research will be useful to you.
What brands of compression tights and stockings have you studied?
We have chosen the brands that are the most famous and widely represented in Russian stores (some are even sold in Auchan), namely (in alphabetical order): Medi (Germany), Orto (Spain), Relaxsan (Italy), Medicale line, Sigvaris (Switzerland) .
Also, in the process of studying, we periodically came across other brands, we saved information about them. At your request, we can tell you about them.
Assessing the quality of compression hosiery
Having studied the “material parts” and visited various specialized sites and forums, as well as using simple logic, we have identified three key components of the quality of compression hosiery for the treatment and prevention of varicose veins:
- Medical quality - the ability of tights to provide the desired therapeutic effect.
- Performance quality - here we have combined those properties of knitwear that provide ease of use.
- Visual quality is a purely feminine and metrosexual thing - the ability of compression tights and stockings to bring you and those around you aesthetic satisfaction.
Medical quality
The main sources for assessing the medical quality of the designated brands were the following:
- Quality standards for compression hosiery with easy-to-learn text.
- Generally recognized research by reputable authors and research centers.
The country of production, the opinions of doctors and users on the Internet were also taken into account.
Results:
|
Trademark |
Medical standards |
Research |
Country of Origin |
Reviews from doctors |
Customer Reviews |
|
Complies with RAL-GZ 387, the most common and stringent standard available for study (see Note 1) |
Made in Germany - speaks for itself Brand No. 1 in Germany |
Arouse the greatest recognition among the professional community of doctors (most often mentioned - Medi) |
By mentions (U) - No. 2, by positive reviews (PO) - No. 1 |
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Made in Switzerland - speaks for itself Brand No. 1 in Switzerland |
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Lioveras Document O29ML09 Rev. 0 |
None |
The presence of the brand in Spain has not been detected |
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 |
Absent |
None |
In Italy among the leaders |
Quality standards for medical compression products
Why is it important to have standards? Essentially, this is a guarantee that you: (a) will not experience undesirable consequences and (b) that you will receive the declared medical effect (pressure in mmHg and its special distribution in the leg). There is no standard - there is no guarantee, therefore the buyer (and not the doctor advising questionable options) assumes all risks. It is logical that we, as sellers of a serious medical device, do not want to create risks for our clients.
We discovered that there are several “professional” standards that describe the requirements for medical elastic compression stockings. At the same time, the German RAL GZ 387 is the most famous, which is confirmed by its use as the basis for a working version of the unified EU standard, the ability to freely find and study on the Internet and the fact that well-known world brands from various countries undergo constant certification for compliance with it. We have studied the standard and can note its comprehensiveness in German. Finally, we noted that it is also an important criterion for doctors when prescribing a product. By following the links you can familiarize yourself with the text of the standard and certified companies. If you find texts of other standards, send them to us.
Performance properties
They follow from the previous point:
- Germany and Switzerland are known for the quality of products produced in these countries.
- Compliance of compression knitwear with world-famous standards guarantees the preservation of the compression effect throughout the entire service life of the products, wear resistance due to the high requirements for materials. According to reviews from doctors and buyers: brands with the RAL-GZ 387 standard retain compression longer than the warranty period (up to a year).
- Compliance with the environmental safety standard Oko Tex Standard 100 guarantees the absence of allergic reactions.
Visual quality
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Conclusion on quality: it is obvious that in the category of medical knitwear the cornerstone is the medical quality of the products, therefore all brands (both here and in general) can be divided into two categories - with confirmed medical quality and with unknown, unpredictable quality. In total, we distribute the places as follows: Medi, Sigvaris, Relaxsan, Orto.
Adequate price
The quality of the therapeutic effect adequate to the problem is the cornerstone, but in Russian realities it is not the only one. Adequacy of the price is the second stone that often turns out to be underwater.
It is well known that compression hosiery is extremely expensive. On average, it can range from 1000 to 8000 rubles.
The price of any product is determined by two main factors - the internal value of the product and the markup.
We found out the intrinsic value in the second point and now we understand that Medi, Sigvaris and other certified European brands should cost more than “cats in compression bags” - they serve better and longer.
How to determine the adequacy of the price?
The easiest way is to look at the retail prices of products in Europe, incl. in the countries where products are produced, and compare with Russian ones. Our hypothesis is that in old Europe, educated people with a developed consumer culture can adequately assess the value of products and will not overpay, therefore, we can assume that the price market there is well-established and balanced. Conclusion: in our opinion, prices in Russia should be 10-30% higher, depending on the sales volume of the brand in Russia.
In practice, unfortunately, this is far from the case. Some brands cannot be found at all during the day in the trading spaces of the country of origin, and some in Russia cost so much that it even becomes embarrassing for such greed of the seller.
Germany
Russia
Comparative analysis
|
Manufacturer |
Compression tights for pregnant women, class 2 compression. |
Price in Russia |
Excess, % |
|
medi (Germany) |
Mediven Elegance |
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Ganzoni (Switzerland) |
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? (Spain) |
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Relaxsan Medicale Soft |
Obviously, high-quality compression hosiery for the treatment and prevention of varicose veins should cost 50-100 euros (depending on the type of product and brand). Cheap analogues, costing 15-40 euros, are knitwear with an unknown medical effect, which may either be absent or, in the worst case scenario, be harmful.
Of course, to obtain global and maximally objective conclusions, it is necessary to conduct a more thorough study or even an investigation, perhaps it will require more than a dozen days and pages. But if we take our goals, we believe that we have received enough information and signals to make a decision. In general, our Venoteka’s recommendations may sound like this:
- Buy products that are manufactured in accordance with respected standards (a surefire option is the German RAL-GZ 387 standard presented on the Russian market).
- Consult your doctor about the compression class and type of product. Follow your doctor's recommendations for the brand of product if you are confident in the doctor's competence in this matter, and always ask for reasons.
- The best recommendation is from your friend, acquaintance or stranger, but an authoritative person who has personally tried a specific product. By the way, this could be a doctor.
- However, the best experience is not your friend's, but your own. Try different brands if possible. This way you will find the best one for you. And share your experience with Venoteka - the opinion of those who use knitwear every day is important to us. Each of us (4 people) personally tried the product we sell.
- When buying in a store, be careful - unfortunately, the average level of consultants in Russia is very average, and they can advise/sell a bad product simply out of ignorance. In some stores - even more unfortunately - they deliberately sell such goods. If you have a discount under a discount program in such a store, but do not want to deal with it anymore, contact us, we will definitely take your discount into account.
- If you prefer only offline stores, we can recommend you such as Orteka, Ladomed, Medi, the Swiss orthopedic salon - they have a range of high-quality products and a fairly good level of service. At the same time, if it is convenient for you to order online, then when you contact our store - in addition to free delivery - we will definitely take into account the discount on your discount card from another store.
- Do not determine the medical parameters of knitwear yourself, with the help of friends or salespeople in stores. That's what doctors are for.
- Medical knitwear made using special technologies. Therefore, carefully study the operating instructions - they contain important nuances for caring for knitwear, putting it on and storing it.
- When choosing a brand, approach the price critically - compare it with European analogues, with the manufacturer’s recommended price, with offers from other brands and in other places of sale. A significant deviation down or up from the manufacturer's recommended price is a reason to think twice.
- Country of manufacture is very important. German and Swiss quality is famous all over the world, unlike, unfortunately, Russian, Chinese or Taiwanese. This is the thing for which millions of people in their right mind and sober memory overpay.
- Cheap can be expensive. Remember that cheap knitwear will most likely serve little and poorly. Perhaps you will be lucky and it will serve little but well. Therefore, when talking about the price of a product, always keep in mind the cost of the entire period of high-quality use of the product.
Fair elections
As you can tell from our catalog, we chose Medi. Having said that, we must say that Sigvaris, Venosan and other German, Swiss and certified European brands are very worthy products.
Why did we choose Medi?
Having decided to invest in the so-called customer-centricity of our store (free shipping, support for discounts from other stores, flexibility, etc.), it would be universal stupidity to sell something other than the best in quality and fair price.
Medi is the most famous and proven high-quality brand in Russia and the world, for which there is great demand (and, importantly, repeated demand) and which is respected by the professional community of doctors. For us, this is risk minimization and self-confidence.
In addition, Medi is a leader, and for us it is something of a matter of ambition - working with a leader (if you like, it's kind of like having Adidas, Mercedes or Apple in your store).
Last but not least, Medi is always something new and unique (texture patterns, Swarovski, crazy color collections, etc.) - this is very important for a store that wants to offer the customer the best product and the best service, and always be on the wave. Other brands in this regard - at least on the Russian market - are very slow and conservative, and this is always a difficulty in the modern ultrasonic world.
I hope the information presented, our subjective assessments and recommendations will be useful to you. If you have any questions or your own notes, we will be happy to discuss them. They are important to all of us.
Varicose veins are a disease that affects more and more people. It is often diagnosed in young people. The pathology is characterized by wear and stretching of the venous bed of the lower extremities as a result of stress on them. This process is accompanied by wear and tear of the vascular walls and the formation of venous nodes.
The disease is very dangerous, because it develops slowly and imperceptibly for most people, and becomes noticeable only in the stage of neglect. After all, then a person constantly feels pain attacks.
As a result of this pathology, thrombosis can develop, which is fraught with severe complications including disability and death. This outcome can occur when a person ignores the disease. Therefore, if you suspect problems with the veins, urgent help is required. You should be especially careful if you experience increased fatigue in the legs for a long time at the end of the day, as well as pain and heaviness of a bursting nature.
One of the methods to combat the disorder is to wear compression garments. It can be of varying degrees of pressure, depending on the patient’s condition. Such underwear is prescribed only by a specialist, because only he can determine which of them will be effective for a certain degree of illness. There are different types of such underwear. One of them is tights and stockings. It is important for patients to know that compression stockings or tights are better for varicose veins.
Features of compression therapy
Varicose veins do not occur just like that; there must be prerequisites for damage to the veins.
Before prescribing a course of treatment, the doctor determines which of them served as triggers for the formation of problems with the veins of the lower extremities.
Of course, there are also acquired reasons, but they interact only with total factors.
Basically, varicose veins occur due to:
- genetic predisposition, if relatives have had problems with veins;
- pregnancy period, during this period there is an increased load on the body, including the blood vessels;
- hypertension caused by lack of physical activity and poor nutrition.
To combat this problem, compression treatment, consisting of wearing special knitwear, is often used. This therapy has been used for more than a century, and in the modern world there is a large assortment that not only helps restore pressure in the lower extremities, but also choose a model to suit your taste. Treatment with this method will never lose its relevance, because it is convenient and effective.
In a normal state, the venous circle of the lower extremities can resist pressure during movement; in a state of disorder, this does not happen, which is why congestion in the legs is observed.
Compression garments can equalize pressure to relieve stress and restore blood circulation. Before the invention of special underwear, an elastic bandage was actively used, which had its disadvantages in the form of:
- It takes skill to apply it correctly, and this took a lot of time.
- Imbalance of heat and fluid during prolonged wear, especially in warm weather. The skin suffered greatly from this.
- Difficulty achieving the desired degree of compression. This was especially noticeable when worn on the hip, because each patient has different limb parameters.
The new generation of compression products has significantly improved the quality of treatment, because it can be used in everyday life and does not interfere at all.
Effect of compression therapy
Therapy is based on the action of different compression, the choice and application depends on the complexity of the disease and the stage of neglect.
The main effect of underwear is that when exposed to veins, blood flow is significantly accelerated when the effect is on open channels. Thus, blood stagnation in the extremities disappears.
Modern products are good because the anatomical features of the limbs are taken into account during manufacturing in order to quickly normalize blood flow in the veins.
Compression therapy has the following positive aspects:
- the operation of the valve apparatus is stabilized;
- the expanded lumen of the veins of the periphery, thighs and legs returns to normal;
- muscle load in order to push blood upward increases.
Stockings and tights are especially popular. They are easy to use and no different from using regular underwear. It is worth noting that such therapy will not help from a complex problem and will not eliminate the influence of the underlying causes, especially if surgery is needed. Its use is advisable only in the first stages of the disease, when damage to the veins is not critical.
Therapy is not used alone; treatment must be comprehensive and include other methods against varicose veins, for example sclerotherapy. This is the only way the treatment will bring the desired result.
The effect will be maximum if you fully follow the recommendations of your doctor and use local anti-varicose agents - ointments, gels, creams.
Compression stockings and tights
Compression stockings are made using a special circular knitting technique, without seams, to avoid irritation. They are attached with an openwork elastic band that has a silicone base on the thigh - the female version. A man can attach the product to his belt using Velcro. Such stockings are able to distribute the pressure completely over the lower limb.
Elastic tights on the bottom have no seams; they are made using the circular knitting method. On the upper part of the product you can see a three-layer seam with a gusset. This type of underwear is designed for use by women only. There are also many models for pregnant women, taking into account the structural features of the body and the load during this period. There are special tights with abdominal support. They are used during this period, both for treatment and for preventive purposes against varicose veins. Such tights are capable of exerting distributed pressure on the lower limb, except for the upper part of the product - it does not exert pressure.
Thanks to the many models, a woman can choose the best option for herself, depending on her taste preferences and characteristics. Such products can be found in almost any pharmacy.
What is better tights or stockings?
Varicose veins are dilation of the walls of blood vessels with impaired blood flow in the lower extremities. As a result, the veins become stretched and can protrude from the skin as they become overfilled with blood. Swelling from this disease occurs because pressure in the upper part of the veins displaces fluid.
Many people wonder whether compression tights or stockings are better for treating varicose veins. There is no clear answer to this question, because the choice is mainly based on individual preferences and convenience. According to reviews, both types of underwear have the same effect against varicose veins. The choice depends on what you are more accustomed to using, because it is no different from ordinary underwear. In terms of functionality, these products are almost identical, since they operate using the same mechanism. The choice is especially free for women, because stockings are a common thing.
For men, you can use tights, but if you don’t want to, you can use a special monostocking. It is designed to be worn on one affected limb, with unilateral damage to the legs. Daily use of such a product will not cause discomfort for the patient, because it is designed taking into account the peculiarities of the male anatomy of the limb.
If the disease affects both legs, then two such monostockings are attached to the belt.
Contraindications for compression therapy
Many methods of treating varicose veins have contraindications. This one is no exception. In addition to the indications for this therapy, there are many cases prohibiting its use.
For some patients, the prohibition is absolute, while for others it is relative. In any case, before using it, you should consult a specialist to exclude them.
Basically, contraindications to the use of such treatment include:
- Arthritis.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Orthoarteritis.
- Endoarteritis.
- Thrombangiitis.
- Inflammation of the skin in the form of allergic reactions, urticaria, bedsores, dermatitis.
- Diabetes mellitus does not require wearing such underwear, due to the fact that it can be affected with greater force.
- Circulatory disorders: septic phlebitis, cardiopulmonary failure.
These are absolute prohibitions; for such diseases, wearing compression garments will only cause harm. In some diseases, blood vessels narrow to such an extent that wearing such underwear will only cause harm. You should wear it with caution if you have increased sensitivity of the skin, because if you wear it for a long time, it can cause discomfort.
Many users, not knowing the rules of wearing, claim that wearing underwear can cause atrophy of the muscle layer on the walls of blood vessels, which eliminates the ability to independently withstand pressure. This opinion is erroneous, and, most likely, is dictated by an incorrect interpretation of the sensation when using this type of treatment.
In order to avoid such feelings, you should remember that:
- linen cannot be used around the clock;
- blood flow can only decrease, but will not stop;
- atrophy can develop as a result of heredity, with stagnant processes in the inflamed vein.
The use of compression garments helps reduce the intensity of congestion and reduces the risk of development and progression of pathology in the presence of a hereditary predisposition.
How to choose underwear?
In order for such therapy to bring the desired effect, you need to choose the right underwear. A doctor can help do this, because the main thing is to know what degree of advanced disease, what compression is needed for a therapeutic effect in the patient’s case.
Reviews on the use of compression hosiery
Poor circulation and lymphatic drainage are becoming a modern scourge of humanity. To normalize the situation, medications, operations and special devices made from materials of different densities are used. More and more patients prefer compression hosiery. Compared to an elastic bandage it:
- easier to put on. Some models even have built-in zippers for ease of use. When using a bandage, special training or certain skills are required, but therapeutic knitwear can be put on yourself;
- variety of models, colors and textures;
- durability. With daily use, knitwear does not lose its healing abilities throughout the year;
- high hygiene. Modern materials make it easy to wash and dry products quickly. Weaves and threads provide complete ventilation of the skin at any time of the year and guarantee hypoallergenicity.
That is why compression hosiery is popular among patients suffering from varicose veins, lymphostasis and other pathological conditions of the lower extremities.
Compression socks with zipper Who is at risk
Some categories of people are predisposed to pathological disorders of blood or lymph circulation. This is facilitated by certain congenital and acquired factors:
- genetic predisposition. If blood relatives have had problems with the veins of the lower extremities, then such a person needs to regularly visit a phlebologist or vascular surgeon;
- hormonal changes in women. Due to certain hormonal fluctuations during adolescence, pregnancy, lactation and menopause, the connective tissue of the blood vessels of the lower extremities may cease to perform its functions efficiently and contribute to the repeated reflux of blood;
- professional activity. Drivers, office workers, cashiers, hairdressers - representatives of these professions spend their working time in a standing or sitting position. At the same time, the load on the circulatory system of the legs increases significantly. Many workers, in order to evenly distribute the blood flow, use therapeutic knitwear for preventive purposes;
- endocrine disorders. Such conditions have a negative impact on blood thickness, platelet concentration, strength and elasticity of blood vessel walls;
- obesity. The load that excess weight places on the lower body often provokes the development of lymphostasis, varicose veins and other pathological conditions. To restore functional abilities, compression products or are used.
Who is predisposed to circulatory or lymph circulation disorders The advantages of modern medical products for varicose veins
Some patients are afraid to use compression socks or stockings simply because they do not want to look awkward or unsightly. Most modern manufacturers produce therapeutic knitwear using new technologies using improved materials. Thanks to this, the following advantages can be highlighted:
- variety of color solutions. In the past, compression products were predominantly nude and black. The modern palette of shades allows the use of therapeutic and preventive products in everyday wear. At the same time, they practically do not differ in external indicators from ordinary stockings or tights. This aspect is most interesting to women who want to remain attractive in any situation. Varicose and swollen legs bring not only discomfort, but also aesthetic problems for their owner. Using modern knitted compression products, you can not only effectively restore blood circulation, but also look very attractive;
Men's compression socks - ease of use. You no longer need to spend a lot of time putting on products every day. Manufacturers sew zippers into them, which greatly facilitates the operation process. Such design features will be especially appreciated by women in the last months of pregnancy and overweight people. This is the best solution for them;
- different compression force depending on the degree of circulatory impairment. If the patient has different stages of the disease on the left and right legs, then you can choose stockings or stockings of different classes and pressure levels. This allows for high-quality treatment of varicose veins and other circulatory disorders.
All these characteristics make the prevention or treatment of diseased veins a simple but effective task.
The principle of the effect of therapeutic knitwear
Anti-varicose stockings have a complex effect on the circulatory and lymphatic systems of the lower extremities. Special material of different densities (grades) creates maximum pressure in the ankle area. Evenly rising upward, the strength of the therapeutic knitwear decreases. For example, knee socks at the top only have 60% compression at the ankle. This allows you to prevent the development of pathological conditions of the leg veins and give the patient freedom of movement.
Those who have used therapeutic knitwear note that thanks to it:
- the uniform distribution of venous blood in the lower extremities is restored. Due to the pressure of different strengths, knitwear prevents the formation of reflux. As a result, the walls of the blood vessels do not stretch, and pockets, lumps, nodes and other pathological conditions do not form in them;
- swelling disappears. Disruption of normal blood and lymph circulation contributes to the formation of lymphostasis, decreased sensitivity of the limb, and causes a feeling of heaviness. Therapeutic underwear: knee socks, stockings, tights demonstrate high effectiveness even after the first time of use. At the end of an active working day, swelling is not observed in patients with circulatory disorders in the legs;
- no longer suffer from aching pain at night or loss of sensitivity during the day. All this occurs due to a violation of innervation (the mechanism of transmission of nerve impulses). Congested veins put pressure on the nerves and prevent them from working fully. Stockings or stockings, even first-class socks with the weakest compression force, can restore the normal supply of nerve impulses and improve tissue trophism.
All of the above allows patients to fully enjoy an active lifestyle and not limit their mobility.
Indications for use
- during pregnancy and natural childbirth. The third trimester of pregnancy creates enormous stress on the lower limbs. A rapid increase in the weight of the fetus, uterus, and natural accumulation of blood in the pelvic and reproductive organs provokes the development of varicose veins. During contractions during childbirth, the veins of the legs cannot pump venous blood normally. Therefore, after the birth of a baby, many women notice dilation of blood vessels, swelling, and pain. To prevent the development of such a dangerous condition, phlebologists and gynecologists strongly recommend using special tights during pregnancy; such models have an elastic insert that will allow the tummy to grow normally. Some knee socks and stockings have sewn-in zippers, allowing pregnant women to put on such products themselves. Therefore, compression hosiery is the best solution to problems with varicose veins during pregnancy;
- for obesity. Excess body weight does not allow the veins of the lower extremities to fully perform their work. Therefore, they require full support, and compression products have this effect;
- during standing or sedentary work. If you are forced to carry out the entire work process in one position, then at the end of the day you may develop leg pain or swelling. To avoid this, for preventive purposes;
- for long journeys or air flights. Static loads have a negative effect on the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems. To prevent swelling and pain in your legs, you should use compression garments.
- for varicose veins of different stages.
Contraindications for use
Stockings and other compression garments cannot be used for a number of serious conditions:
- damage to the skin of the lower limb. If there is a scratch, wound, or cut in the compression zone, then it is better to wait for them to heal. The pressure that tights or stockings will exert on the skin will negatively affect the regeneration of the epithelium and deeper layers of the skin. Therapeutic knitwear in constant contact with a non-healing surface will have an irritating effect on the wound. Such damage can turn into a gateway to infection and cause serious complications;
- diabetes. This endocrine disease not only affects blood glucose levels, but also impairs blood circulation in the lower extremities and leads to the formation of non-healing wounds and ulcers. In case of a serious stage of the disease with such unpleasant consequences, it is better to abandon therapeutic knitwear. It will definitely not bring any benefit with such a diagnosis;
- skin sensitivity, tendency to allergic reactions. Sometimes this feature becomes a real barrier to therapy. Therefore, before buying or wearing stockings, you must first make sure that the composition is hypoallergenic. The main manufacturers of high-quality medicinal products have quality certificates and always print on the packaging the percentage of materials from which the product is made;
- purulent-inflammatory processes on the legs. In this condition, it is contraindicated to apply pressure to the skin or veins. This can lead to a faster spread of infection, disrupt recovery, and cause complications of the condition;
- thrombophlebitis of the acute stage. With this pathological condition, phlebologists and vascular surgeons categorically do not recommend the use of compression garments. Only after the disease has been transferred to the chronic stage, stockings, knee socks, tights can be used for treatment.
Diabetes mellitus is a contraindication to wearing compression garments Types and classification of compression products
Therapeutic knitwear has several groups. Based on the length of the product itself, manufacturers distinguish between tights, stockings and knee socks. Depending on the location of the problem, the size of the lesion in the blood vessel of the lower limb, the stage of the disease, the phlebologist or a special consultant selects the best option and type of product for the patient.
Medical knitwear can be preventive or therapeutic, and is also divided into compression classes depending on the compressive and supporting force the product exerts on the veins of the lower extremities.
Prophylactic knitwear has a compressive force not exceeding 18 mm Hg. Art. Some patients can prescribe such products themselves. Positive reviews about them are often left by tourists and other outdoor enthusiasts, people who have to work on their feet or spend long periods of time on air travel.
Types of therapeutic knitwear Therapeutic knitwear has 4 compression classes:
- first class, the strength of the supporting effect is equal to 18-21 mm Hg. Art. It is advisable to use such products in the initial stages of varicose veins, with minor swelling or periodic heaviness in the legs. This class is also recommended for pregnant women. They wear the products during pregnancy and are required to wear them during childbirth;
- second class. The pressure force is within the range of 22-32 mm Hg. Art. Used for stage 2 and 3 varicose veins to normalize blood circulation.
- third and fourth grade. Therapeutic underwear has compression values of 33-46 and more than 47 mmHg. Art. respectively. It is not safe to prescribe such products to yourself; it can lead to negative consequences.
Only correctly selected therapeutic or prophylactic knitwear will bring the desired relief and freedom of movement.
And a little about secrets...
Have you ever tried to get rid of varicose veins on your own? Judging by the fact that you are reading this article, victory was not on your side. And of course you know firsthand what it is:
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- wake up in the morning wondering what to wear to cover the swollen veins
- suffer every evening from heaviness, schedule, swelling or buzzing in the legs
- a constantly seething cocktail of hope for success, agonizing anticipation and disappointment from a new unsuccessful treatment
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