Anti-varicose jersey is designed to normalize the functioning of the circulatory system in the lower extremities. Compression underwear exerts an accurate design pressure on certain areas of the veins, which, due to their location remote from the heart, are at risk of developing pathological venous disorders. Thus, thanks to the wearing of medical underwear, the state of blood flow improves, painful sensations, swelling and heaviness in the legs are eliminated. Therefore, if you are at risk of developing varicose veins, you have already encountered it, or you show signs of impaired venous circulation (due to static loads, pregnancy, a sedentary lifestyle), you should start using preventive compression underwear in everyday wear.
Compression underwear for varicose veins
Earlier, for this purpose, phlebologists prescribed elastic bandages. Now this tool is not popular, due to the presence of a number of significant disadvantages: the difficulty of bandaging, an uneven degree of compression, an unaesthetic appearance, a rapid loss of compression properties and, as a result, slipping.
The difference between modern compression underwear is the complete opposite of the above disadvantages:
- ease of use (compared to bandaging) from putting on, wearing to taking off linen;
- 4 compression classes - which allows for individual selection of linen with the required level of compression of the dilated veins;
- made from high-tech materials: linen - from hypoallergenic natural cotton with a high degree of elasticity; hosiery made of synthetic fibers - nylon, lycra, elastodien, microfiber, which makes it possible to wear skirts and dresses;
- tight fit does not allow the laundry to slip;
- long service life of linen, with proper care - from 5 to 12 months (with daily wear).
What is the use of compression underwear? The compression garment creates distributed pressure from the bottom of the legs to the top. Graduated pressure of varying strength varies from the ankle to the thigh, in percentage terms this is from 100% to 20% of the compression laid down by the underwear.
Expert opinion
A gradual decrease in the percentage of compression is physiologically justified: with the blood flow upwards, the load on the venous system decreases. Therefore, it is advisable to reduce the maximum pressure in the upward direction. Due to this principle of action, wearing compression underwear stimulates and normalizes the outflow of blood and lymph to the heart, preventing venous congestion.
Types of compression underwear
How to choose compression underwear for varicose veins and what is this or that type of knitwear used for?
The medical industry offers a fairly large assortment of compression underwear. There are compression hosiery for women and underwear for the treatment of varicose veins in men. There is also a classification according to the therapeutic tasks assigned to the compression garment:
- preventive underwear: minimal compression of the lower extremities to eliminate high blood pressure in them;
- medical linen: medium and maximum compression for the treatment of varicose veins;
- postoperative underwear: used in hospitals, the selection of compression hosiery is carried out by a doctor.
In direct dependence on the existing or probable localization of venous disorders of the lower body, you can choose a certain type of medical underwear - compression tights, knee-highs or stockings.
Compression socks
Socks are mainly recommended for athletes with increased running loads for preventive purposes. Wearing compression socks will reduce the risk of venous disorders and help those who have experienced them. During the use of compression socks, blood circulation in the foot improves and muscle tone increases due to point-directed compression of the heel and foot area. This type of laundry can be used both during and after prolonged exertion.
Compression knee-highs
Socks are suitable for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins, provided that the varicose veins are located below the knee. Knee-highs cover the leg from foot to knee. Their elastic compression properties ensure precise fit on the foot, maintain ankle tone, and are effective in preventing heaviness in the foot.
How to choose compression knee-highs for men? It seems that more compression garments are being produced for women. It's a delusion. In terms of design, men's knee-highs practically do not differ from the usual socks, so they should not cause constraints during the period of wearing.
The sizes of such compression garments, such as knee-highs, are selected in accordance with the anatomical profile of the lower extremities.
To do this, you need to make some measurements (in centimeters):
- shin circumference above the ankle and below the knee;
- length from foot to knee.
Compression stockings
It is possible to achieve a therapeutic and prophylactic effect in the fight against pathologies of the venous system with the help of stockings. Because of 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 stocking. It prevents this compression hosiery from slipping. Medical stockings with a fastener at the waist are fixed with an elastic belt with a contact tape. Such stockings are divided into a half pair, there are left and right. There is a possibility of combining mono stockings into tights.
This type of stockings, as a special compression underwear for the legs with varicose veins, has the maximum degree of effectiveness.
Finding the best compression stockings for women and men is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The range of such underwear on the medical market is quite wide. It takes into account financial possibilities and preferences for the appearance of linen. Therefore, it is possible to purchase compression stockings in accordance with your own wishes, and not only guided by the doctor's recommendations regarding the therapeutic and prophylactic properties of the underwear. When making a purchase, it is important to remember that an orthopedic salon or pharmacy that sells compression underwear protects you from buying a fake. Only there you can purchase a certified high quality compression product.
Compression tights for women
The most common type of medical and prophylactic underwear for women is compression tights, despite the fact that they are rather difficult to put on.
According to what effect it is important to achieve, the following types of compression tights are distinguished: preventive and therapeutic. Preventive elastic tights are selected independently according to parameters such as height and weight. You can buy this compression hosiery both in pharmacies and in 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 preventive compression products on your own, then medical compression hosiery is selected exclusively by a doctor. Such tights, stockings and socks are subject to mandatory medical certification according to RAL-standard-GZ 387 and are available for sale only in medical equipment salons and pharmacies.
The lineup includes types of compression tights different in texture and color. They are both the most transparent and dense opaque ones, which allow masking venous manifestations on the skin. When choosing a model, pay attention to the toe: there are products with open and closed toes.
It is advisable to combine medical compression hosiery for varicose veins with the use of local venotonic agents for the legs. Foot cream with horse chestnut and ginkgo biloba extracts is suitable for daily care at home. Due to its natural composition, it relieves pain, tones, has an anti-inflammatory and cosmetic effect. The cream is applied to the skin of the legs from the bottom up with massaging movements until completely absorbed, 1-2 times a day in the morning before putting on the compression garment and in the evening after removing it. The cream has undergone clinical studies and has been highly regarded by phlebologists as an effective adjuvant in the fight against varicose veins of the lower extremities. For use outside the home, a foot tonic spray with extracts of butcher's and witch hazel is very convenient. Thanks to its light, non-marking formula and comfortable release form, it can be applied over nylon compression tights. Spray it 1-2 times a day from a distance of 15 cm to lightly moisturize the skin. Both products were developed by specialists of a pharmaceutical company and have the necessary documents and quality certificates.
Compression elastic underwear - tights, stockings and knee-highs, require effort when putting on. It is important to observe the following rules:
- put on lying down, after waking up;
- do not excessively stretch or twist the product;
- gather the top of the tights, and gradually straighten them towards the lower leg and above.
In order to facilitate the procedure of putting on compression hosiery, special devices are produced for consumers of different categories: overweight, with limited mobility, for travelers (collapsible design).
How to choose compression hosiery?
When the question arises of how to choose compression hosiery, given the size, you need to familiarize yourself with the information on the package.
Compression garments are manufactured in strict accordance with quality standards. The strictest is the European standard RAL-GZ 387. Its norms regulate:
- composition of compression underwear;
- safety of the materials used;
- properties of compression, elasticity, strength of the manufactured linen;
- requirements for labeling on packaging.
According to these standards, on the packaging of quality certified linen, the compression class and pressure should be indicated in millimeters of mercury, and not in denominations (as with ordinary stockings).
If there is an inscription Oko-Tex® Standard 100 on the packaging of the linen, this means that this compression garment has been tested by independent institutes that are part of the international Oeko-Tex community. They check fabric samples for pH, formaldehyde, chlorine, and the possible presence of heavy metals. Based on the results of a successful check, a quality certificate is issued - Oko-Tex® Standard 100.
By purchasing underwear with the above markings, you can be sure that it is:
- will allow you to achieve an appropriate therapeutic effect;
- environmentally friendly;
- will serve not less than the service life specified by the manufacturer.
Elastic compression hosiery: compression classes for all garments
According to the degree of pressure generated in medical elastic knitwear, 4 compression classes are distinguished, in accordance with the RAL-GZ 387 standard.
- Compression class I: has a low (light) preventive pressure (18-21 mm Hg). Indications for wearing underwear with class I compression are: a tendency to develop varicose veins, heaviness in the legs, edema, spider veins, pregnancy.
- Compression class II: has medium pressure (22-32 mm Hg). This is the most commonly used compression class for medical garments. 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: exerts strong pressure (33-46 mm Hg). This linen is used for severe lymphovenous insufficiency, trophic pathologies, deep vein thrombosis.
- Compression class IV: exerts the highest possible pressure (over 59 mm Hg). Lingerie with this class of compression is used for congenital anomalies of the veins and to eliminate lymphedema with accompanying edema.
Preventive underwear with the first compression class can be purchased independently. But how to choose medical compression underwear with already developed varicose veins can only be told by a doctor. He will explain why you need compression garments in your particular situation.
Compression stockings: how to choose the size
Varicose veins is an irreversible disease that requires treatment. And compression stockings will be for the veins as a supporting frame. Accurate measurements of the leg will help to choose the right stockings, namely:
- length from foot to knee;
- shin circumference above the ankle and below the knee;
- thigh girth at a distance of 25-30 cm from the knee;
- the length of the leg from the foot to the groin fold.
After the phlebologist prescribes linen of the appropriate compression class, and taking measurements, it is important to determine the size of the stockings. The range includes a large number of sizes from XS to XLX. The size grid may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Therefore, the choice of compression garments must be carried out in accordance with the table of sizes of a particular manufacturer.
Correctly selected stockings will fit your leg tightly. Perhaps, 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 measures, it is necessary to measure the volume of the hips and the girth of the waist.
Compression garments are produced by many manufacturers. And with varicose veins, I want to understand which is better than the rest, so as not to waste precious time and money. Unfortunately, the best compression hosiery for varicose veins can be chosen only based on your own feelings from the direct wearing of such underwear.
The peculiarity of tights is that they are selected strictly according to size, because the area on which they will produce pressure is maximum.
In most cases, the packaging contains information on how to wear compression tights. Do not neglect these recommendations - they will extend the life of the linen:
- Wear tights after waking up or after taking a shower. Important: the skin must dry completely.
- It is necessary to monitor the condition of the skin - it must be moisturized and smooth so as not to damage the fibers of the compression underwear.
- Compression tights must not be stretched or twisted.
- When putting on, collect the upper part of the tights in an accordion, and gradually distribute along the length of the leg, straightening the emerging folds.
Compression tights should be worn all day and removed just before bed. The duration of the use of the laundry is determined only by the doctor.
Compression hosiery after surgery
Hospital jersey is irreplaceable after surgery. Good compression underwear in the postoperative period of treatment of varicose veins can relieve a number of possible complications. Wearing hospital gowns reduces the risk of congestion and deep vein thrombosis.
The optimal compression pressure for this type of underwear is 15-18 mm Hg.
The compression of the recovery underwear is calculated taking into account that the patient will be in a horizontal position. Therefore, this type of underwear is not suitable as everyday compression hosiery.
The postoperative compression garment can be matched to any part of the body. The following types of linen can be distinguished:
- knee-highs, tights;
- spine corsets;
- bandages.
A distinctive feature of postoperative compression garments is that they must be worn (not removed) for the first few days. Therefore, hospital underwear should be highly elastic, seamless, hypoallergenic and provide antimicrobial effect.
Women's compression underwear
Basically, under women's compression hospital linen, it is customary to understand cosmetological hosiery. It is used after plastic surgery, greatly facilitating and shortening the rehabilitation period. The most common type of such underwear is a compression bodice after mammoplasty (Mammoplastica). During the rehabilitation period after surgery to correct the shape of the breast, it is important to wear fixing compression underwear, which:
- prevents scarring;
- help relieve postoperative puffiness;
- reduce pain;
- relieve the feeling of heaviness in the operated area.
The required compression class of the bodice is regulated by the fasteners. Sometimes, together with a compression bodice, an additional compression belt is used to create maximum compression with postoperative underwear on the necessary areas of the body.
How to choose and how to wear compression garments for women for a long time is determined by the doctor. Incorrectly selected 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 as well. To protect themselves from such manifestations, many pregnant women are advised to wear preventive and therapeutic compression underwear.
In the first trimester, prophylactic compression hosiery is used, mainly knee-highs or stockings, which will also protect a woman from the syndrome of heaviness in the legs and swelling.
During pregnancy, wearing a brace reduces stress on the spine.
From the second trimester, if indicated, medical linen is 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 on the front of the compression tights. It takes into account the anatomical features of a pregnant woman. Such underwear supports the stomach well and does not squeeze it. However, there may be contraindications for wearing such jersey, so it is advisable to consult with your doctor before purchasing medicated underwear.
For pregnant women with varicose veins, the phlebologist recommends the use of compression stockings during childbirth and for a short period after them.