Anti-varicose jerseys are designed to normalize the work of the circulatory system in the lower legs. Compression underwear provides precise design pressure on specific venous areas, which, due to their location away from the heart, are at risk of pathological venous disorders. Thus, thanks to the wearing of medical underwear, the state of blood flow is improved, painful sensations, swelling and heaviness in the legs are eliminated. Therefore, if you are at risk of varicose veins, you already have them, or you show signs of impaired venous circulation (due to static load, pregnancy, inactive lifestyle), you should start using preventive underwear on everyday clothing.
Compression underwear for varicose veins
Previously, for this purpose, phlebologists prescribed elastic bandages. Now this tool is not popular, because there are a number of significant disadvantages: difficulty wrapping, uneven degree of compression, unesthetic appearance, rapid loss of compressive properties and, as a consequence, slipping.
The difference between modern compression underwear is the opposite of the above drawbacks:
- ease of use (compared to bandages) from putting on, putting on to taking off linen;
- 4 compression classes - which allow the selection of individual linens with the required level of dilated vein compression;
- made of high -tech materials: linen - from hypoallergenic natural cotton with a high degree of elasticity; socks made of synthetic fibers - nylon, lycra, elastodien, microfiber, which makes it possible to wear skirts and dresses;
- tight tidy does not allow laundry to slip;
- long lifespan of linen, with proper care - from 5 to 12 months (with daily wear).
What is the use of compression pants? Compression garments produce pressure that is distributed from the bottom of the foot to the top. Gradual pressure with varying strength varies from the ankles to the thighs, in terms of percentage ranging from 100% to 20% of the pressure placed by the underwear.
Expert opinion
A gradual decrease in the percentage of compression is allowed physiologically: with upward blood flow, the load on the venous system decreases. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce the maximum upward pressure. Due to this principle of action, wearing compression underwear stimulates and normalizes blood and lymph flow to the heart, preventing venous congestion.
Type of compression underwear
How to choose clothes in compression for varicose veins and for what this or that type of knitwear is used?
The medical industry offers a wide variety of compression underwear. There are compression socks for women and underwear for the treatment of varicose veins in men. There is also a classification according to the therapeutic task assigned to compression garments:
- preventive underwear: minimum compression of the lower leg to get rid of high blood pressure in it;
- medical linen: medium and maximum compression for the treatment of varicose veins;
- postoperative underwear: used in hospitals, the selection of compression gowns is done by the doctor.
Depending directly on the localization of the veins on the lower part of the body is present or possible, you can choose a particular type of medical underwear - compression tights, knee -high or stockings.
Compression stockings
Stockings are especially recommended for athletes with increased walking load for preventative purposes. Wearing compression stockings will reduce the risk of venous disorders and help those who suffer from them. During the use of compression stockings, blood circulation in the foot improves and muscle tone increases due to the compression directed at the heel and foot area. This type of laundry can be used during and after a long workout.
Knee high compression
Stockings are suitable for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins, provided the varicose veins are located below the knee. Knee high covers the feet from foot to knee. Their elastic compression properties ensure accuracy on the foot, maintain ankle tone, and are effective in preventing a feeling of heaviness in the foot.
How to choose knee -high compression for men? More compression garments seem to be targeting women. It's an illusion. In terms of design, men’s knee levels are practically no different from regular socks, so they shouldn’t cause constraints in the period of wear.
The size of such compression garments, such as knee height, is selected according to the anatomical profile of the lower leg.
To do this, you need to make some measurements (in centimeters):
- shin circumference above the ankle and below the knee;
- length from feet to knees.
Compression stockings
It is possible to achieve therapeutic and prophylactic effects in combating pathology of the venous system with the help of stockings. Due to necessity, elastic stockings from varicose veins with increased length are sometimes used: up to the groin area or with a fastener at the waist.
There is a silicone elastic on the inside of the sock. It prevents these compression socks from slipping. Medical stockings with fasteners at the waist are fitted with an elastic belt with contact tape. Such stockings are divided into a pair of halves, there are left and right. It is possible to combine mono stockings into tights.
This type of stockings, as a special compression pants for legs with varicose veins, has a maximum level of effectiveness.
Finding the best compression stockings for women and men is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. The reach of such underwear in the medical market is quite wide. It takes into account the financial possibilities and options for the appearance of linen. Therefore, you can buy compression stockings according to your own wishes, and not just guided by a doctor's recommendations on the therapeutic and prophylactic properties of linen. When making a purchase, it’s important to remember that an orthopedic salon or pharmacy that sells compression pants protects you from buying counterfeit items. Only there you can buy certified high -quality compression products.
Tighten the compression for women
The most common type of medical and prophylactic pants for women are compression tights, despite the fact that such clothes are quite difficult to wear.
According to what effect needs to be achieved, the following strict types of compression are distinguished: prevention and therapy. Tight preventive elastic is selected independently according to parameters such as height and weight. You can buy these compression socks at pharmacies and at regular medical supply stores. In addition to improving the venous system, they have a corrective and slimming effect on the waist, buttocks and thighs.
Expert opinion
If you can choose a preventive compression product yourself, then a medical compression gown is chosen exclusively by the doctor. Such tights, stockings and stockings are subject to mandatory medical certification in accordance with RAL-standard-GZ 387 and can only be sold in medical equipment salons and pharmacies.
The lines cover different types of compression tights in terms of texture and color. Both are the most transparent and dense opaque color, which makes it possible to hide the manifestations of veins on the skin. When choosing a model, pay attention to stockings: there are products with open and closed toes.
It is best to combine medical compress socks for varicose veins with the use of local venotonic agents for the feet. Foot cream with horse chestnut extract and ginkgo biloba is ideal for daily care at home. Due to its natural composition, it relieves pain, tones, has anti-inflammatory and cosmetic effects. The cream is applied to the skin of the feet from the bottom up with a massaging motion until completely absorbed, 1-2 times a day in the morning before applying compression garments and in the evening after removing them. This cream has undergone clinical studies and is considered by phlebologists as an effective additive in combating varicose veins on the lower legs. For outdoor use, a foot tonic spray with butcher’s and witch hazel extract is ideal. Thanks to its lightweight, unmarked formula and comfortable release shape, it can be used on nylon compression tights. Spray 1-2 times a day from a distance of 15 cm to lightly moisturize the skin. Both of these products are developed by specialists of pharmaceutical companies and have the necessary quality documents and certificates.
Compression elastic panties - tights, stockings and knee -high, require effort while wearing. It is important to follow the following rules:
- lying down, after waking up;
- do not stretch or twist the product too much;
- gather the top of the tights, and gradually straighten them to the bottom leg and up.
To simplify the procedure of wearing compression gowns, special tools are produced for users of various categories: overweight, with limited mobility, for travelers (folding design).
How to choose a compression shirt?
When the question arises how to choose a compression shirt, based on its size, you need to read the information on the package.
Compression garments are manufactured in accordance with quality standards. The most stringent is the European standard RAL-GZ 387. It normally regulates:
- the composition of compression underwear;
- safety of materials used;
- compressive properties, elasticity, strength of the resulting linen;
- labeling requirements on packaging.
According to this standard, on quality certified linen packaging, the class and compression pressure should be indicated in millimeters of mercury, and not in denomination (like regular socks).
If there is an inscription Oko-Tex® Standard 100 on the linen packaging, this means that this compression garment has been tested by an independent institution that is part of the international Oeko-Tex community. They examined fabric samples for pH compliance, formaldehyde content, chlorine -containing materials, and the possible presence of heavy metals. Based on the results of successful inspections, a quality certificate is issued - Oko -Tex® Standard 100.
By buying underwear with the mark above, you can ensure that:
- will allow you to achieve the appropriate therapeutic effect;
- environmentally friendly;
- will function not less than the lifespan specified by the manufacturer.
Elastic compression socks: compression class for all garments
According to the level of stress produced in medical elastic knitwear, 4 compression classes are distinguished, in accordance with the standard RAL-GZ 387.
- Compression class I: has a low (mild) preventive pressure (18-21 mm Hg). Indications for wearing underwear with compression class I are: tendency to develop varicose veins, heaviness in the legs, edema, spider veins, pregnancy.
- Compression class II: has a moderate pressure (22-32 mm Hg). This is the most commonly used compression class for medical clothing. It is used for the prevention and treatment of deep vein thrombosis, in the treatment of varicose veins and acute thrombophlebitis (Thrombophlebitis).
- Compression class III: provides strong pressure (33-46 mm Hg). This linen is used for severe lymphoid insufficiency, trophic pathology, deep vein thrombosis.
- Compression class IV: provides the highest possible pressure (above 59 mm Hg). Underwear with this compression class is used for congenital anomalies of the veins and to eliminate lymphedema with accompanying edema.
Preventive underwear with first compression class can be purchased independently. But how to choose compression medical underwear with already developed varicose veins can only be told by a doctor. He or she will explain why you need compression garments in certain situations.
Compression stockings: how to choose a size
Varicose veins are an irreversible disease that needs treatment. And compression stockings are for the veins as a support frame. The right foot size will help choose the right socks, namely:
- length from feet to knees;
- shin circumference above the ankle and below the knee;
- thigh circumference at a distance of 25-30 cm from the knee;
- leg length from foot to groin fold.
Once the phlebologist has determined the appropriate compression grade linen, and taken measurements, it is important to determine the size of the stockings. This range covers a large number of sizes from XS to XLX. The measurement grid may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Therefore, the choice of compression garments must be made in accordance with the specific manufacturer’s measurement schedule.
Properly chosen socks will fit your feet. Maybe at first there will be a feeling of discomfort from wearing medical underwear, but over time it will pass.
How to choose compression tights?
To choose tights, in addition to the above measurements, it is necessary to measure the amount of hips and waist circumference.
Compression garments are produced by many manufacturers. And with varicose veins, I want to understand which one is better than the other, so as not to waste valuable time and money. Unfortunately, the best compression socks for varicose veins can be chosen only based on your own feelings from wearing underwear directly.
The peculiarity of tights is that they are selected strictly according to measurements, because the area in which they will produce pressure is maximum.
In most cases, the packaging contains information on how to wear compression tights. Don't ignore these suggestions - they will extend the life of the linen:
- Wear tight clothing after waking up or after a shower. Important: the skin must be completely dry.
- It is necessary to monitor the condition of the skin - it must be moisturized and smooth so as not to damage the fibers of compression underwear.
- Tighten the compression should not be stretched or twisted.
- While wearing, gather the top of the tights with an accordion, and gradually spread along the legs, straightening the folds that appear.
Compression tights should be worn throughout the day and removed before bed. The duration of use of laundry is determined only by a doctor.
Postoperative compression stockings
Hospital jerseys cannot be replaced after surgery. Good compression underwear during the treatment of varicose veins after surgery can relieve a number of possible complications. Wearing a hospital gown reduces the risk of congestion and deep vein thrombosis.
The optimum compression pressure for this type of underwear is 15-18 mm Hg.
Rehabilitation panty compression is calculated taking into account that the patient will be in a horizontal position. Therefore, this type of underwear is not suitable for use as everyday compression socks.
Postoperative compression garments can be matched to any part of the body. The following types of linen can be distinguished:
- knee high, tight;
- spinal corset;
- bandages.
A special feature of postoperative compression garments is that the garment must be worn (not removed) for the first few days. Therefore, hospital underwear must be very elastic, non -slip, hypoallergenic and provide antimicrobial effect.
Women's compression underwear
Basically, under the women's compression hospital linen, it is customary to understand cosmetology gowns. It is used after plastic surgery, greatly facilitating and shortening the recovery period. The most common type of underwear is a compression corset after mammoplasty (Mammoplastica). During the recovery period after surgery to correct the shape of the breast, it is important to wear fixation compression pants, which:
- prevent scarring;
- helps relieve swelling after surgery;
- reduce pain;
- relieves a feeling of heaviness in the operated area.
The required corset compression class is arranged by the fastener. Sometimes, along with a compression corset, an additional compression belt is used to create maximum compression with postoperative underwear on the required body part.
How to choose and how to wear compression garments for women for a long time is determined by the doctor. Improperly chosen underwear can harm your body.
Compression underwear for pregnant women
During pregnancy, due to the increased load on the body, the manifestation of symptoms of various diseases is possible. Varicose veins too. To protect themselves from such manifestations, many pregnant women are advised to wear preventive and therapeutic underwear.
In the first trimester, prophylactic pressure socks are used, especially knee -high or stockings, which will also protect a woman from weight syndrome on the feet and swelling.
During pregnancy, wearing braces reduces stress on the spine.
From the second trimester, if indicated, medical linens are prescribed: bandages, tights, stockings. After childbirth, this type of medical linen will help you recover faster. Often, the function of the bandage is assigned to a high elastic insert in the front of the compression tight. It takes into account the anatomical features of pregnant women. Such underwear supports the abdomen well and does not squeeze it. However, there may be contraindications to wearing such a jersey, so it is advisable to consult your doctor before buying medicated underwear.
For pregnant women with varicose veins, phlebologists recommend the use of compression stockings during childbirth and for a short period of time after them.