New crazes, trends emerge every single week in the healthy living sphere. However few of those crazes are around after a few months, and even less survive for years. The popularity of pantyhose is just as high as it has been for years, which is a testament to how effective they are in treating different conditions. However to choose the best compression pantyhose for your condition, you need to know what types of products are on the market, and how to distinguish the best from the rest.
What are the conditions these products can treat?
- varicose veins and spider veins
- swelling
- edema
- muscle cramps
- delayed onset muscle soreness
Before getting to know the what products Compression Carl recommends for treating varicose veins, you must know how and why varicose veins appear at the first place. Though varicose veins are common condition, many people don’t know enough about the reasons and long-term health effect of the condition.
Usually, varicose veins appear on the thighs and the regions around the legs. In the legs the veins have to work extremely hard to make the deoxygenated blood flow back to the heart. This process is undertaken by the valve stoppers in the veins. Due to poor lifestyle choices and habits, the walls of the veins can loose their firmness, and the diameter of the veins can increase. The blood pools up in the veins, the flow is slower, the deoxygenated blood reaches the heart later. The veins bulge out forming blue or green colored zig-zag patterns on your skin. The condition is called Venous Insufficiency.
So, how to cope with the condition? Compression pantyhose or stockings offer an affordable, easy to apply solution once the condition appears. The compression technology puts pressure on the skin, keeping the veins tight.
Severe cases might call for surgery, which is definitely a more invasive, expensive and time consuming solution than benefiting from the positive effects of the best compression pantyhose on the market.
There are three different types of compression pantyhose based on how long they are, and which areas they cover. The best type for your individual case differs based on where the varicose veins appear on your legs. If they are on your thighs, a pair of knee high sock are obviously not going to get the work done.
The tendency would be to go for the thigh high models every single time, but I advise you to think differently. The longer the product, the harder it is to put on. Maternity models can reach up to the belly button, which means that they have to be removed every time you go to the toilet, an arduous process. The shorter the model you can get away with, the better in my book.
Knee High compression Pantyhose
Available in many different styles, these end just below your knees. These reduce the pain in your calves and can be effective in treating plantar fasciitis.
Thigh High compression Pantyhose garments
These models put pressure on the whole limbs. They are available in open and closed toe versions. Silicone bands are used to minimize slippage and keep them firmly in place. These are the most effective when used to treat varicose veins in your thighs or swelling in the knees.
Maternity pantyhose garments
These models are marketed and sold for pregnant women. These are the best compression pantyhose for treating all the side effects that come about as a result of the increased blood pressure during pregnancy. These include swelling, cramps, muscle pain and the infamous varicose veins. Effectively, these models allows the more effective flow of blood in the lower limbs, and add to the comfort of the soon-to-be mother.
Type of compression
There are two main types of compression technology you might come across: Graduated or uniform compression. Graduated models are the most common, and the one we recommend. These models put the most pressure on the lowest parts of the legs, and slightly less pressure as it gets higher on the legs. This helps the veins the furthest away from the heart, where they have to work the hardest to make the blood flow.
Uniform compression socks on the other hand put the same amount of pressure on every spot on your limbs. These are available only with doctor’s prescriptions, they are mostly use to treat severe edema.
Strength of compression
The strength of a compression garment is measured by how much pressure it applies to the skin. It is measured in millimetres of mercury (Hg mm).
Below 15 mm Hg – These models are considered light compression products. They are used mostly to prevent conditions from occurring. They are very popular among office workers, who sit a lot during the day and can significantly reduce the chances of varicose veins appearing by wearing these garments during the day. Travellers are also advised to wear these models.
Between 16 – 30 mm Hg – These are medium compression products. Best for treating mild cases of plantar fasciitis, swelling, varicose veins and cramps. These models are still available on the market, and e-commerce sites like Amazon.
Over 30 mm Hg – these models are the big guns. They are medical grade compression pantyhose, used for treating severe cases. These are prescribed, not available not he market otherwise.
Open toe or closed toe?
On internet forums one can read many questions about whether open toe or closed toe pantyhose are better. My answer is the same as usual: It depends.
Although I have to admit that this criteria should not feature that strongly in your decision making process. The length of the product, the price and the strength of compression are all crucial factors, whether your toes are covered or not is not.
The material
If you are going to wear your pantyhose for several hours a day, the material of the product obviously becomes an important factor. It has to allow your skin to breathe and come with moisture wicking ability.
The products recommended on Compression Carl are all made with special knitting technology, which ensures high quality, durability and breathability.
Reinforcements
Some models are designed to be extra durable. They can come with any of these extras:
- Extra padded heels: Gives protection to your heels, the impact of your steps is reduced.
- Extra toe padding: Thicker material around your toes for added comfort.
- Extra tight design: Sits tighter on your skin, giving less space for the muscles to move resulting in more economic muscle movement.
- Extra achilles padding: Tighter design around the achilles tendons. Gives better structure to the achilles tendons, reducing the pain.
At the end of the article let’s look at which are the three highest rated and best compression pantyhose on Amazon:
Futuro Firm (20-30 mm/Hg) Pantyhose for Women
These models come with a special massage in motion technology. This reduces pain during movement, and helps avoid that uncomfortable feeling from sore legs after you end your workday.
The product works with 20-30 mm Hg graduated compression. It is on the higher end of the spectrum, but if you already suffer from varicose veins, or you frequently have pain in your legs, the high pressure of the product will serve you just right.
These are high pantyhose that lead up to your hips. They are see-through products, excellent if you want to benefit from compression technology, but you want to be stylish at the workplace or during travel.
Tektrum Waist High Firm Graduated Compression
This product puts 23-32 mm Hg graduated compression on your legs. They are recommended for both men and women, excellent for treating cramps, circulation problems, swelling, delayed onset muscle soreness. The can be used for recovery after demanding workouts.
Since this product is also recommended for sportsmen and women, they are designed to sit firmly on the skin and be comfortable at the same time. It lets the skin breathe, as it is designed to let the sweat evaporate from the skin freely.
Nurse Mates Medical Compression
Nurses have to face swelling, aching legs and muscle cramps all the time. They spend most of their workday standing, a huge toll on the veins in their legs.
This product was designed with nurses in the mind, to offer an affordable, stylish and effective solution for their woes.
The product uses graduated compression, and puts anywhere between 15 and 20 mm Hg pressure on the legs in order to treat the conditions mentioned above.
The affordable, generous price makes it an excellent choice if you want to buy multiple pantyhose.
BeFit24 – Graduated compression pantyhose
This is a premium quality product designed especially to treat varicose veins, spider veins and deep vein thrombosis. At the same time they are recommended for pregnant women, as they are effective in reducing swelling.
Although they have a slightly higher price than other products, but their comfort, durability and the quality of the material makes it worth the extra money.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different uses of compression pantyhose, and the best model depends on the design, material, price and the strength of pressure the pantyhose puts on the legs. Once you know the purpose and the intended use of the product, you can choose the best compression pantyhose for your situation. Do you have a favourite model? Let us know in the comment section!
