To gain maximum benefit from your circulation socks, you have to ensure that you put on the correct size and the fitting should also be appropriate. The biggest mistake one can commit is to wear circulation socks of the wrong length by folding them over if extra long or bunching them up at the ankles or behind the knees. Depending on your medical condition, make sure you choose the right type of graduated circulation socks (thigh high, knee high, footless, leggings, or compression sleeves).
Incorrect usage by the patient might be due to:
– Custom-sized stockings maybe the requirement of patients who are very fat. Usually, problems may occur when there are measurement issues and the wrong size has been taken into account.
– When no heed is paid to the words of a medical specialist or physician and hence the wrong compression level is chosen.
– Choosing the option of compression legwear can also make the situation difficult.
Incorrect usage by a nurse or caretaker might be due to:
– When the medical staff has not received proper training and there is a lack of the best practice recommendations.
– Thigh-length stockings can be a pain for patients who might be bed-ridden or with limited movement.
– Wrong sizes could lead to a tourniquet effect. Blood clots occurrence increases by pinching the skin or the skin becomes reddish in color. The stockings are designed such that the ankle receives the major pressure and the upper thigh the least. It prevents accumulation of blood in the legs and the deep vein thrombosis condition is also avoided. Improper use of circulation socks can also lead to open wounds and occurrence of ulcers.
If you wear improper socks, the effect on the skin or any breakdowns can be seen as soon as two hours right after surgery.
How to avoid this:
– Patients should make use of size charts in order to ensure that correct measurement is taken.
– Monitoring the usage of stockings and providing assistance to ensure that the stockings are worn properly.