Three reasons you should be wearing medical grade compression

Medical grade compression is one of the most beneficial effects that you can receive from support. It is estimated that 92 per cent of the adult population will receive notable health benefits from wearing them! If you're unsure if they are right for you, here are three reasons you should be wearing medical grade compression stockings.

What is medical grade?

Rather than having something that just fits snugly, medical grade has been designed to shape to your anatomy, targeting the circulatory system to boost your blood-flow.

This is especially important in your legs to assist in the prevention and management of a wide range of conditions. 

Three reasons you should be wearing medical grade compression

1. Circulation and your muscles

Our bodies have a complex circulatory system which pumps blood from the heart, around the body and then back. The heart moves blood across most of the body with relative ease but it does require some assistance.

That's where the ankles and calves come in with a special muscle that assists with pumping the blood in your legs back up to your heart.

Problems arise when you’re sitting all day at a desk or when you're standing on your feet for an extended period of time. Those muscles aren’t active and the blood pools in your legs, causing swelling and the formation of spider veins and varicose veins. 

Think of it this way. Your legs are a roadmap. When everything is working properly, there’s main roads that move your blood up from the ankles to the hip where your heart takes over.

However, often due to lifestyles choices, these turn into small roads with lanes where the blood gets stuck. The effect of medical grade compression turns these into a highway, helping your muscles push the de-oxygenated blood back up to the heart. 

The result is more oxygen to the muscles, boosting circulation and muscle health while minimising swelling along your foot, ankle and legs.

2. Preventing varicose veins and spider veins

The development of spider veins and small varicose veins are usually cosmetic at first but can be warning signs of something more severe.

If left untreated they can develop into more serious varicose veins, as well as venous insufficiency, DVT, clots and ulcers.

The use of compression socks while at work and during travel, may help to reduce these risks now and well into the future. 

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3. Recovery and fatigue management

Swelling, sore muscles and cramps can often stem from the same core issue, which is a lack of oxygen being supplied to the muscles combined with muscle vibration.

Medical grade compression acts like an anatomical funnel, helping channel the blood efficiently in the right direction while directing the force of the muscles with movement rather than shaking and vibrating excessively.