HOUSTON – Compression socks gently squeeze your legs to increase the pressure in the tissues beneath your skin. According to the Cleveland Clinic, that helps reduce swelling, swelling prevention and increased absorption of excess fluid.
If you have severe peripheral artery disease (a condition where you have reduced blood flow in your legs) you should not wear compression socks. Although, compression socks are safe to wear by almost everyone else.
Can compression socks do anything for varicose veins?
“It can, it doesn’t prevent to varicose veins per se, or stop the disease process, but it manages the symptoms of varicose veins,” said Dr. Linda Le, Houston Methodist Vascular Surgeon.
But compression socks are most critical to wear during long times of being sedentary, like on an airplane, especially for certain people.
Who should make sure to wear compression socks on an airplane?
“Somebody who’s older, somebody who smokes, maybe had recent surgery, cancer, a procedure, trauma or even pregnant patients that are, you know, have an increase in hormones in their system are all at increased risk for a DVT, pulmonary embolism,” said Dr. Le.
If you have one of those conditions, you should actually get medical grade compression socks. Dr. Le said they should be so hard to get on, you break a sweat!
Additionally, Dr. Le recommends standing up to walk the aisles every few hours or rolling your ankles around and doing calf raises from your seat and staying hydrated.