You constantly struggle with swollen feet and aching legs after a long nursing shift. You’ve heard thatcompression socks can help, but you’ve never worn them before and you’re wondering how long you should wearcompression socks for. Below, we answer all your FAQs about how to wear compression socks–from if they’re safe to wear all day towhether you should wear them at night.
How long should you wear compression socks for?
The length of time you should wear compression socks depends onyour reasons for wearing them. For instance, if you just wanted to alleviate swelling after a long run, youcould wear the socks for three to four hours during your workout and after it ends. As a nurse, you’reprobably looking for compression socks to help reduce swelling and foot pain during and after a long shift.In this case, you should put on your compression socks before your shift and take them off when you gethome. Given the standard length of a nursing shift, this works out to about 12hours of wear a day.
Are compression socks safe to wear all day?
Yes, compression socks are safe to wear all day. In fact, you’ll get the most benefits if you wear them allday. For the best results, put them on first thing in the morning before your feet have a chance to swell.Take the socks off at night before you shower or go to bed. Be sure to wash the socks after you wear them,as they will have absorbed sweat, oils and bacteria during the day.
Should you wear compression socks at night?
No, you should not wear compression socks at night. This is because compression socks are designed to fightthe effects of gravity, which are most pronounced when you are standing upright. As you stand and walkaround, gravity pulls on blood, lymph andother fluids, which can cause them to pool in your feet and lower body. In turn, this can lead to swelling,foot pain and aching, tired legs. Compression socks are made of a specially woven fabric to help fight theseadverse effects of gravity. They put graduated pressure on your legs to encourage the blood, lymph and otherfluids to keep moving.
When you lie down, your feet are at the same level as your heart, rather than below them, which makes iteasier for your heart to pump your blood back up to your core. This posture also encourages lymph and otherfluids to drain from your legs back into the core. As a result, you don’t need to wear compression sockswhen you sleep. If you want to drain the fluids faster, you can elevate your feet on a pillow for 15-20minutes at the end of the day (but not more). Don’t wear compression socks when you do this, either.
Can you wear compression socks every day?
For maximum benefit, you should wear compression socks every day. However, it can sometimes take a while toadjust to wearing compression socks if you haven’t worn them before. You might want to start off by wearingthem only a few hours at a time, or only on days that you work until you get used to them. Then, you canwear them every day, all day. If you’re new to compression socks, you should also start off with a lower compression sock level. After youadjust to them, you can increase to a higher level of compression if your doctor recommends it.
Can wearing compression socks be harmful?
Generally speaking, compression socks are safe and beneficial to wear, as long as you follow the instructionsto don and doff them properly. For instance, if you let the sock fabric bunch up, it can cut off circulationor chafe, bruise or break the skin if it’s very fragile. (This is another reason why you shouldn’t wearcompression socks to sleep. They might bunch up without you noticing.) If you have skin conditions such asdermatitis or skin sensation disorders, compression socks are probably not a good choice for you. Those whohave pulmonary edema related to congestive heart failure or arterial insufficiency (arterial disease) shouldalso avoid compression socks. If you’re worried, talk with your doctor before wearing compression socks forthe first time.
We hope this answered your questions about wearing compression socks. If you’re in the market to buy some,shop our collections of compression socks for men and women online.
Shop Compression Socks
