Questions and Answers
Q: Apart from wearing compression Socks, what other self help measures can I apply to take good care of my legs?
|
A:
- Eat a balanced diet and watch your weight
- Regularly moisturize your legs to keep the skin supple and smooth
- Put your feet up
- Walk and exercise regularly
- Check your legs and feet regularly
- Get treatment for any knocks or sores on your ankles, especially if you suffer from diabetes
|
Q: How long will support stockings last?
|
This partially depends on how you take care of them. We
suggests replacing the socks every four to six months. After that, the elastic in the socks will start to deteriorate and will no longer give the correct compression.
|
Q. What if I only need a support stocking for a condition in one leg?
|
A: Only the leg with the symptoms or disease needs to wear the compression. Some people prefer to wear compression on only the affected leg. Always verify with your doctor that the problem is present in only one leg. |
Q. How many hours each day should I wear my support stockings?
|
A:
- Individuals with chronic venous problems such as venous related leg swelling, skin changes, or varicose veins, generally wear the compression stockings while out of bed (approximately 16 hours/day) and remove them at night.
- Immediately following sclerotherapy physicians may instruct individuals to wear a specific level of compression continuously for a specified number of hours or days depending on the size of the veins injected.
- Individuals with lymphedema are advised to follow the wearing schedule recommended by their physician or therapist.
- Bed-bound patients may be advised by their physician to wear anti-embolism stockings (16-18 mmHg) to help prevent blood clots from forming in the deep veins of the leg.
|
