How compression stockings and socks work
Compression stockings and socks work with your body to help you to keep your blood flowing back from your legs up towards your heart. Your Scholl compression stockings and socks help you to achieve this in two ways:
Overall compression
Firstly, compression stockings and socks gently squeeze your legs inwards. This squeezing helps to reduce the blood flow and pressure in the veins near the surface of your skin. It also brings the vein walls closer together, which will help the vein valves to prevent the blood slipping back towards your feet.
Graduated compression
Lowest compression at your thigh
Keeps the blood moving upwards, towards your heart.
Intermediate compression at your calf
Assists your calf muscle as it pushes blood up into your thigh.
Highest compression at your ankle
Helps to move blood from your foot and ankle into your calf.
Compression stockings and socks do more than simply squeeze your legs. You will notice that they are tighter around your ankle than around your calf and, if you wear thigh length stockings, they will be tighter around your calf than around your thigh. The pressure or tightness gradually relaxes as it goes up your leg, which produces a gentle, upwardly squeezing effect. This progressive reduction is called ‘graduated compression’ and is a particularly effective way to push blood up your leg.
To enjoy the benefits of compression stockings or socks, you need to wear them regularly, preferably every day.