Care must be taken in the choice of medical linen. It is intended to enhance the therapeutic effect in the treatment of certain diseases of the vascular system, maintain muscle tone and prevent complications in the postoperative period.
In order not to aggravate the course of the disease and to help your own body cope with the disease, you need to know exactly how to choose compression stockings.
Compression ratios: indications for wearing medical garments
First of all, it is necessary to correctly set the degree of compression, which will ensure venous blood flow in the legs and will maximize rehabilitation treatment. In each individual case, a qualified medical consultation is required, since only the attending physician can correctly determine which type of compression hosiery is suitable for his patient.
Compression grade I stockings for preventive purposes are recommended to be worn by people who have to be on their feet for a long time or, conversely, engage in sedentary work at a desk, computer or driving a car.
Compression of the II degree is indicated in venous insufficiency and varicose veins, as well as in the case of pathological pregnancy with severe swelling of the legs, with closed injuries of the calf muscles and significant muscular loads in athletes prone to vascular diseases.
III degree of compression is recommended for patients with trophic complications of varicose veins and those who have undergone vein surgery or are undergoing rehabilitation treatment after open fractures of the extremities.
When it is necessary to consult a doctor
Knitwear of the 1st degree of compression, including stockings, leggings and knee-highs, can be selected independently or with the help of a seller in specialized orthopedic salons and pharmacy departments.
The choice of stockings II and III degree of compression must be agreed with the doctor, who is obliged to prescribe the mode of wearing, determine the type of medical hosiery, conduct a detailed consultation regarding the hygiene requirements and the method of putting on this type of underwear.
How to determine the size of the compression garment
After setting the degree of compression, you need to select the correct size of the stockings. To do this, the leg is measured in the area of the foot, ankle, lower leg, knee and thigh. The measurement procedure is best carried out immediately after sleeping in a lying position, without lowering your legs from the bed. It is difficult to do it yourself, therefore it is recommended to take measurements with the help of a medical worker in a hospital setting. At home, the participation of loved ones will be required.
Incorrectly selected stockings may not help, but harm. The point of wearing them is that an artificial physiological pressure profile is created in the lower extremities, 100% of which falls on the ankle area, 70% on the upper leg and 40% on the upper third of the thigh. Thanks to this, a close to normal movement of venous blood in the direction from the lower extremities to the heart is restored.
Models of compression stockings
Elastic compression stockings as orthopedic underwear are presented in several models:
- Classic stockings, outwardly not much different from ordinary knitted underwear
- Stockings with silicone elastic fastenings
- Stockings with a treatment belt with Velcro
- Open-toed stockings for patients with large legs
The right choice is quality
The quality of compression stockings depends on the material used for their production. The price of these jerseys is quite high: one pair can cost from one and a half to 5 thousand rubles. So that money is not wasted, it is best to get the cheapest model and make sure that the size and type of compression stockings are selected correctly. In this case, wearing them will not cause discomfort, irritation, or allergic reactions.
After 1-2 weeks, a trial pair can be replaced with more expensive knitwear of European or American production. Companies that have proven themselves in the market of orthopedic services care about the quality of their products, and it is safe to say that their concern is equally related to people in need of medical knitwear.
Among the well-known manufacturers of compression underwear, the leaders are the German company Medi, the Italian company Relaxan and the US manufacturer Venatex.
They supply our country with classic and improved models of women's and men's compression hosiery, as well as compression underwear for pregnant women, hospital hosiery, compression sleeves and gloves.
How to put on compression stockings
Hygienic care of compression garments
If there is no need to buy a pair of stockings, you can buy only one or select stockings of different sizes for right and left legs. This can lead to more effective treatment.
Compression stockings require careful wear and normal hygiene practices: regular washing and preferably the same regular change. It is necessary to wash the compression hosiery with your hands, without the use of aggressive detergents, with the obligatory rinsing in running water. It is not recommended to squeeze and twist, so as not to disturb the structure of synthetic fibers that make up the knitted fabric of this linen.
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