A Lighter Vein

Graduated compression hosiery or compression support hosiery, was invented
by a German engineer in the late 1940’s in the US. This man was a mechanical
engineer who suffered from venous disease. He observed that the pain in his
legs was reduced when he was standing in a swimming pool and concluded that
the pressure from the depth of the water was assisting the return blood flow back
up his legs. Thus was born graduated compression or gradient compression
support hosiery. This development and sale of graduated compression hosiery is
now big business in the US and internationally. Products are sold in many styles
and a wide price range, and steady development has improved these products
over the last 60 years.

When the sale compression support stockings started in the 1950’s, the original
products were like a thick elastic hose type garment, designed to put more
pressure on the ankle, less as you go up the leg and help improve return blood
flow to the heart. The products were likely made from natural rubber and nylon
yarns, nothing short of unattractive, some might even say ugly. You wouldn’t
want to be caught dead in these things, hot and uncomfortable and unattractive!

All of that has changed. After 50 or 60 years of development, there is a huge
variety of products on the market, that appeal to all types of individuals with
various levels of medical or those just wanting their legs to feel better.

To me the most interesting aspect of these newer products is the variety of
styles, that is yarn types, that are avaialble, giving both men and women a wide
choice of very attractive styles and performance.

For example, support socks, which once came in one style of yarn and one
color now come in microfiber nylon and mixed yarns for softness and comfort,
cotton and wool for comfort and warmth, Coolmax® and acrylics for moisture
transmission, keeping your feet dry, and the list goes on and on. Socks are
available in wide variety of colors, even knit in patterns like you might find on
knit sweaters, and a broad variety of compressions, from simple everyday
support to medical grade support that your doctor might prescribe. By the way,
prescriptions are not required for these products, they are readily available both
online and at retail.

On the fashion side for women, where once you had a choice of one style of “fire
hose”, you find extremely attractive styles from sheers that look just like any
other sheer stockings, to somewhat heavier stockings with hiding power to cover
those varicose and spider veins to soft opaques, quite comfortable and attractive
for cooler climates.

Then there’s the price, years ago since supply was limited to a few
manufacturer’s and you had to go to a pharmacy to buy these goods, price was

typically high. Now, both with the addition of my “value-priced” suppliers like
ameswalker.com and many more online outlets, you can find just about any
product you want online at much, much less than you would pay just 10 or 15
years ago. Prices on socks for example start as low as $10 for many Brands!

If you have a medical problem requiring you to wear support hosiery or socks,
you already know this product area. What you may not know, is that support
socks can be good for anyone that can use some additional support for their
legs. If you work and stand all day, or even if you sit at a desk all day, these
products can help your legs feel better and reduce swelling in the feet and ankles
at the end of the day.

Do you want to make your legs feel better at the end of the day? And Who
doesn’t? Try support socks, you won’t believe the difference they will make, and
now with so many styles and low prices available, there’s no reason not to!