How do compression socks work to help with circulation?

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It seems like having tight socks around your legs would prevent blood circulation, but the description for compression socks say they help increase circulation. How?

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3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

You not totally wrong OP. Compression socks are useful treating venous insufficiency, just like another user said but sometimes but in some conditions it actually worsens affects circulation negatively. For example, in patients with peripheral arterial disease, blood leaves the heart (that is arterial blood) but it doesn’t reach some areas, mainly our lower extremities. That way, cells don’t get oxygen and nutrients and then die out. Using compression socks with this condition is bad because the arteries that supply the blood are already tight (as in compressed) and that’s why there is a poor blood flow to our legs and feet. That being said, compression socks would compress even further and leave even more damage to the blood vessels.

TL;DR: in venous insufficiency compression socks help blood return to the heart and in arterial insufficiency it prevents blood from reaching the cells.

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