The compression socks do cover the feet from the end of the toes over the ball of the feet and to the ankle...they don't cover the toes, which for me is a blessing because it's the balls and heels of my feet and my ankles which swell up like ping pong balls at the end of a hard day. I've had those full compression socks put on me several times before going into theatre for operations, and they did feel very tight on my legs..
Yes, I'm a bit scared to cover me legs. I don't wear tights at all in this weather I've also cut me slippers to bits But they are nice and light, so glad I found them
I can relate to that not wanting to wear long stockings in the heat. I was really upset when the doctor said I needed to wear them for at least three months to see if they will help or not. I grumbled that the next three months are the hottest ones of the year, and couldn't we wait to try this in Dec/Jan/Feb instead. He laughed, and said he understands that I can't wear them all of the time in the heat; but to just do the best that i can. As long as I can put up with them on the airplane , I will be happy about doing that. My feet and legs always swell up when I have to sit with the feet on the floor. that is the main reason that I love my recliner so much, it relieves the foot pain and swelling.
Must have been torture for you When you think of the pressure we put on our feet and legs - I just don't know what to do with meself Can't put me feet up on a stool, still feel the pressure and burning ............... oh BTW - what a life !
Contributing this true story: When I was a child, some of the older generation remarked 'Don't wear your clothes too tight or you'll wreck your insides.' Tight clothes weren't in style, I didn't own any, and never thought about it again. Years later I did read about teenage girls whose jeans were so tight that they had to lie flat on a bed to put them on, and pull them up with pliers! The full impact, though, didn't hit me until a few years ago- had nothing to do with style, weren't 'skinny jeans,' I'd just put on some weight and couldn't stand the thought of throwing away perfectly good clothes; plus I figured it wouldn't be difficult to lose the few extra pounds. Well, I began developing VERY severe abdominal pain and VERY severe nausea and vomiting; thinking it was either a severe case of food poisoning or possibly appendicitis, I went to an ER- and was told my intestines had become twisted. They said I needed immediate, emergency surgery, or I could 'die.' Long story, but I'll leave it at that- the older generation really did know what they were talking about.
My legs never really swell up...but even I worry about DVT on longer flights! Which type of compression stocking is good for that? Your whole leg or just the feet ot just your leg to your knee and no feet? I'm thinking of ordering or looking in a store but now with all the different ones you're all talking about...I'm confused.
I have swelling all the way into my knees; so what the doctor said would help me is ones that come above the knee, the thigh-high ones. However, those are pretty expensive; and I had a coupon for Walgreens; so I got a pair from there, and they only go to my knees. Next time, I am not going to pull them so tight against my knee, because it was hurting in the back of the knee where it was pinching me. However, I was outside planting the currant bushes and roses, so the shoveling and digging probably contributed to the pinching . As long as you do not have any issues with swelling on your legs, @Chrissy Cross , I would think that a lightweight pair that comes up to your knee would be all that you need. Try it before you go on the plane because once you are there, you can't very well take your socks off of they are hurting you. I wanted to try a cheaper pair and see if they actually seem to help before investing into some of the more expensive ones, and then finding out they make it worse.
Thanks @Yvonne Smith ...I'll look for a cheaper pair and see how it works. So your saying not on my feet? I do worry about DVT and I'm always doing those feet exercises they show in the in flight magazine or the safety one. My very fit and healthy grandfather who worked as a pharmacist til he was 80 and walked a lot every day and was thin had one on a long bus ride coming back from visiting his daughter my mom in Pittsburgh to his home in Chicago...it was a long bus ride and everyone always said he died because he was too cheap to take the plane which was a little more than an hour flight. He was 83, I can take my socks off on the plane though.I can practically change my clothes without anyone even noticing, lol.
Thanks Patsy....just looked, there are a lot! I'll look through them and order a pair...maybe a cheaper one until I know what it feels like.
There are the compression socks, which can be any length, and look like a regular sock. Then there are the compression sleeves which only go on the leg and not on the foot. So you can use either one, @Chrissy Cross , depending on whether you want your foot covered or not. I think that when a person gets swollen feet from standing all day, the sock kind would be the best because they would tend to help stop the swelling in the feet. For just traveling on the plane for a few hours, either one would work, and if you are wearing open toed shoes, and didn't want the socks showing, then the sleeves would work best. I am just learning about the compression socks, too, so I am proabably not a lot of help; but if you look on Amazon, they have all kinds of these socks. Some are even called anti-embolism. Some have zippers, and I think that I might like that kind better than trying to pull the tight socks up my legs. However, if I pinched myself in the zipper, I am sure that I would NOT like that ! One thing I do know, and that is that having the blood clot in my lungs was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced. It hurt so bad I could not even breathe, and I thought I might die before Bobby could get me to the ER. Tight stockings is a much better problem to have than blood clots in the lungs.
So true, @Yvonne Smith. I'll look at all of them and see which one I think might be the best for me....like I said...my legs don't swell, maybe a very little if I've eaten too much sodium and it's very hot out. They don't do any damage do they if you don't need them??