Here at York Foot Orthotics and Bracing, we want to help you take the best possible care of your feet and legs, and for many people, this involves wearing compression hose. If you’ve heard of compression hose but aren’t sure how they work or how they’re supposed to benefit you, read on to find out exactly that.
How Compression Hose Works
Compression hose are designed and woven to apply gentle pressure to your legs when worn. They essentially squeeze the legs, which leads to better blood flow, reducing the diameter of the blood vessels to encourage more blood to flow, and to flow faster. (It’s the same principle as squeezing a tube of toothpaste, or a pastry bag.)
Benefits of Compression Hose
Now that you know how compression hose work, we’ll go over some of their health benefits. In addition to improving the circulation in your legs, compression hose can:
- Prevent blood from pooling in the leg veins – Blood pooling in the veins of the legs is one common cause of foot pain, and wearing compression hose can alleviate this symptom.
- Reduce orthostatic hypotension – Orthostatic hypotension causes lightheadedness or dizziness upon standing, and the compression provided by the hose can help prevent that.
- Reduce pain of varicose veins – The pressure exerted by compression socks can also help counteract the pain of varicose veins, preventing those blood vessels from expanding.
- Prevent blood clots – Compression socks can also help prevent the development of deep-vein thrombosis, a condition that causes blood clots, thus giving you greater peace of mind.