Caregivers’ Guide To Medical Compression Socks
Compression socks might be new territory for you as a caregiver. Whether your care recipient has a doctors prescription for a medical condition or simply wants to reduce tired achy legs, compression garments may be able to help.
You may already be helping your care recipient with dressing. Or, supporting them with daily activities might be new for you. Trualta can help. Our extensive library of caregiver education activities can help give you the skills you need to help, as well as improve your confidence as a caregiver. Check if you have free access.
What Are Medical Compression Socks?
Compression socks provide pressure, or compression, to the legs and feet to help support circulation and drain lymphatic fluid. When the body has circulation problems, fluid can pool in the legs, and pressure in the blood vessels can increase. As a result, it’s harder for the body to drain blood and fluids, which could lead to problems like blood clots, leg fatigue, and a feeling of heaviness in the legs.
Compression socks help the person wearing them with issues like:
- Preventing blood and fluid from pooling in the legs
- Helping manage conditions like skin ulcers, varicose veins, and deep vein thrombosis
- Reducing leg pain and aches
- Reducing leg swelling
- Reducing discomfort
You may also hear them called “compression stockings” or “graduated compression stockings”.
Medical Vs. Non-Medical: What’s The Difference?
Non-medical compression socks are often worn for general comfort. They don’t require a doctors prescription because they come in lower compression classes, often between 8-20mmHg. It’s still a good idea to talk to a doctor before starting to wear them (or stopping them) in case they have any concerns or recommendations.
Medical compression socks are worn to manage medical conditions like swelling, poor blood flow, or vein damage. They require a doctors prescription because they provide higher pressure, which may be unsafe for some people. Compression classes for medical compression socks range between 20-40mmHg.
5 Tips For Using Medical Compression Socks
For the purposes of this article, we’ll be discussing medical compression socks. They can be trickier to get the hang of, and many people struggle to get them on and off. Let’s dive into some tips for how you can help your care recipient with their compression stockings.
1. Break Them In
Wash new socks in cold water and lay them flat to dry before wearing them. This can help them become easier to put on.
2. Get A Better Grip
Compression stockings can be hard to pull on and take off. You can make this easier by:
- Turning the sock inside out. When you put the toe of the sock on your care recipient’s toes, the compression sock can now roll up the leg, right-side out. This ensures proper positioning and fit and can also make it easier.
- Use silicone lotion or cornstarch on the legs. This helps compression stockings slide on more easily. Ask a doctor before you do this.
- Wear rubber gloves. These can help you grip the stockings more easily when putting them on or taking them off. Some companies make special grip gloves designed to help with medical compression stockings.
- Sit down. This can help you be in a good position to put the socks on your care recipient’s legs. They should also be sitting or lying down.
- Talk to the healthcare team. The doctor or occupational therapist (OT) can recommend dressing tools to help make it easier to pull compression stockings on and off.
3. Use Reminders
It’s important for your care recipient to follow a wearing schedule with compression socks. These are instructions from your care recipient’s doctor that tell them how long to wear the socks for during the day. Here are some tips:
- Lay fresh socks where your care recipient will see them. This will help them (and you) remember!
- Put the socks on first thing in the morning. Since your care recipient’s legs will be less swollen, they’ll also be easier to put on.
- Create a sign to put in their bedroom, kitchen, or any other commonly accessed place to remind them. For example, it can say, “Are you wearing your compression socks?”
4. Avoid Common Mistakes
Unfortunately, it’s common to make mistakes with wearing or putting on compression socks. In some cases, these mistakes can cause health problems or make existing ones worse. Important parts of wearing compression stockings include ensuring:
- They fit your care recipient properly
- They’re worn according to the doctor’s prescribed wearing schedule
- They don’t cause skin problems or cut off circulation
- They meet your care recipient’s health needs
5. Take Care Of Them
In some cases, compression socks can be an investment. It’s important to take care of them to make them last but also to ensure they’re working properly for your care recipient’s health needs. Here are some tips for maintaining them:
- Wash them after each use. They shouldn’t be worn multiple days in a row without cleaning them. Wash them with mild soap and lay them flat to dry. Store them in a safe, dry location.
- Have multiple pairs on hand. Not only can this help you to know you have a backup, but it can also make it easier to cycle through pairs while one is being washed.
- Replace them every 3-6 months. This ensures they give your care recipient the firm compression benefits they need and keep them in good shape. They should also meet with their doctor every 6 months or so to ensure the compression level is still meeting their needs.
Want to watch videos to better understand or chat with a care coach for more guidance? Check if you have free access to Trualta.
References
- https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/compression-stockings-how-use-them
- https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=abk2202
- https://www.steve-originals.com/ca/blog/post/putting-on-compression-socks-for-caregivers/
- https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/basics/info-2024/compression-socks-benefits.html#:~:text=Put%20on%20the%20socks%20first,if%20they%20seem%20too%20long.
