How long should you wear compression socks after surgery?

What are compression socks?

Compression socks are specially designed medical socks that mainly help normalize and improve our blood flow. They belong to a group of garments made of compression materials that fit firmly onto the skin. The main purpose of compression socks is to improve blood circulation, but also to reduce discomfort and to help patients heal after surgeries. 

Tight compression prevents the retention of blood in the feet and helps prevent and reduce vein problems. These problems can be anything from cold feet, to spider veins.

By slightly squeezing the chosen area, compression garments also help reduce swellings caused by fluid retention. There is a whole industry of compression garments, but the most popular product is compression socks.

This is because compression socks can be helpful in many different situations, from recovering after surgeries to symptoms gained with pregnancy. Compression socks are also an important piece of equipment for runners and athletes. 

After surgeries, patients are sometimes recommended to put on a compression sock on the healing leg so the process of healing could be more comfortable and faster.

What are compression socks used for?

The benefits of compression socks are numerous, and their use is widely spread. Here are some uses of compression socks:

• They can be helpful for people that are working long hours sitting, or standing
• They can help improve slow circulation and reduce cold feet
• They are good for treating swelling caused by edema or lymphedema
• They can help fight muscle cramps
• They help the elderly maintain a healthy level of mobility
• They are the number one treatment for vein problems
• They are a usual side-treatment for patients recovering from a surgery

Many people can benefit from having at least one pair of compression socks because most of us need that boost at least ones in a while.

These are only some of the benefits of compression socks you can expect:

• Reducing swelling
• Helping with cold feet
• Keeping blood flow healthy and active
• Reducing joint pain
• Preventing varicose veins
• Preventing vein pain
• Normalizing blood pressure in legs
• Helping the feet breathe

The purpose of compression socks after surgery

Compression socks after surgery can save you a lot of time but also save you from a lot of discomforts.

So, what are compression socks used for after surgery?

The main reason to wear compression garments after surgery is to help keep your body and skin in a certain position.

Tight material will help you keep everything in place thus help you maintain a normal movement. There are other important reasons for wearing compression garments during post-operative treatment, so let’s see what they are.

Quicker healing

By keeping the skin and the body in their places, you are creating a safer healing environment. Without much movement, there are not many opportunities for something to pop, open, stretch out, etc.

Compression garments are similar to bandages because they stay fixated once you put them on. So, if you have a cut from the surgery, it will heal quicker if the skin stays in the same position from the beginning.

Also, compression socks encourage healthy blood flow, and healthy blood flow means healthy healing. It can help you reduce the numbness of some areas after surgery and get blood back to those areas.

Swelling reduction

After the surgery, the body sends thousands of cells, and a lot of fluid to help heal the area. Because of this, swelling is very usual to happen. Especially if the body part is lower extremity. Edema or swelling is a body's normal response to an injury, or surgery. Compression socks are one of the best treatments for edema.

Compression socks help breakdown the fluid that has built up in an area. Compression socks are the number one treatment for swelling caused by fluid retention.

Lower chances of infections

As we have already said, compression garments also act like bandages. When you put a band-aid, you do it to stop the blood, but also to protect the wound from getting dirty. Compression garments fit tightly around the body restricting environmental factors to getting to it. They are also usually made from moisture-wicking cooling materials, so they don’t let the sweat build up either.

Smoother and finer scars

By keeping the skin in one place, and not letting it stretch out, compression socks and garments can help tone down the scar and help the heal better.

What are the best compression socks after surgery?

Compression socks come in many levels of compression. Many factors are in the question when you are choosing the level you need. Most commonly, your doctor will suggest, or prescribe a certain level of compression. It all depends on the severity and size of the surgery, also the type and the area of the surgery, and, of course, your overall health previous to the surgery, and post-surgery.

Here is a quick guide to different levels of compression. But be sure to talk to your doctor about it.

The level of compression is measured in mmHg which stands for millimetres of Mercury. There is a range starting from 10 mmHg and going up to 60 mmHg.

Level of compression socks:

• 10-15 mmHg is a very gentle and mild compression. They are perfect for work and around the house. If you are not experiencing a lot of trouble, these are the best for compression socks for standing all day.
• 15-20 mmHg is the most used level of compression. It is light but with therapeutic
• effects. This is most used among travelers during long flights or sits in cars. Also, it is
• recommended for pregnant women.
• 20-30 mmHg are for those who suffer more than occasional swelling and pain, cold feet, and medium to high discomfort.
• 30-40 mmHg is for more severe discomfort. It is recommended after surgery or in cases
• of heavier problems with varicose veins.
• 40-50 mmHg for severe varicose veins and swelling.
• 50-60 mmHg is for cases of Post-thrombotic syndrome or similar to that.

How long to wear compression socks after surgery?

Usually, compression socks are worn for about 2-8 weeks after the surgery. They should be worn at any time except showering and bathing.

This is very different from the recommended time of wearing compression socks because of other issues such as varicose veins. 

The amount of time is also something that depends on the surgery, and your situation. Here are some of the most common surgeries that use compression socks as post-surgery treatment.

How long to wear compression socks after knee surgery?

Doctors recommend wearing compression socks for about 2 weeks after being released from the hospital. There is a great probability you will experience some swelling around the ankles, so compression socks can help reduce the swelling and stimulate the healing process.

How long to wear compression socks after hip surgery?

Hip surgery requires a longer healing process, so the recommended period for wearing compression socks after hip surgery is a minimum of 4 weeks. You will, however, have frequent check-ups with your doctor/surgeon, so they will advise whether you should wear it longer than 4 weeks. 

Compression socks after surgery & SKINEEZ

SKINEEZ compression garments were founded by Michelle Moran in 2007. Michelle developed a unique idea after her own experience with a post-surgery compression garment recommended to her by her doctor. Michelle felt uncomfortable and experienced pain while wearing the garment, so it made her realize that there was a need for a solution to this problem. She then introduced microencapsulation technology to compression garment, and combined skincare, comfort, and compression. 

Through clinical studies with SKINEEZ® Skincarewear®, she was able to show an increase of 19% in the skin’s elasticity and create real comfort while wearing the garments.

Now, in 2020, Skineez is still the only brand that combines these two areas of the health industry. Michelle’s idea helped many men and women have a more comfortable post-surgical recovery, and to feel better in their skin. 

Skineez’s garments are all designed with the help of medical professionals, and surgeons. Check out Skineez SKincarewear compression collection in our online store.