So why does graduated compression therapy work?

Compression therapy means wearing socks or stockings that are specially designed to support your veins and increase circulation in your legs. The socks or stockings are typically applied first thing in the morning before swelling and discomfort begins, and removed at night. Throughout the day, the compression they provide prevents blood from pooling in leg veins, thereby helping overall circulation.

Remember that the heart fights gravity as it attempts to pump blood up the veins of the legs. As a person walks, the regular contraction and relaxation of the calf muscles around the veins are necessary to help the heart move blood up the legs efficiently. But it is unlikely that a person will walk continuously throughout the day - most of us sit or stand some of the time. Also, some people have inherited weakness of the vein walls or valves, which create additional challenges to venous circulation. This is why wearing compression socks or stockings is vital for the treatment of or prevention of varicose veins and other circulatory problems, especially for individuals who are at risk.

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