Compression hosiery versus elastic bandages

Compression hosiery and elastic bandages have essentially the same function. They provide compression, i.e. moderate and even compression of the tissues.

Their purpose is to treat pain and swelling as part of varicose vein treatment, in orthopedic pathology or simply for prevention.
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Thus, medical knitwear (stockings, socks, tights with compression) are an integral part of the treatment of varicose veins. In combination with medical treatment, compression provides effective treatment of such problems. Compression creates external pressure on the tissues, as a result of which the lumen in the veins narrows and the venous valve flaps begin to function normally again. As a result, blood outflow is improved, the risk of blood clots is significantly reduced, and the risk of blood stasis even in already damaged vessels is reduced.

That is why compression is used during surgery, because lying down and tissue damage significantly increases the risk of blood clots in the lower extremities. This not only leads to varicose veins, but also poses a serious health risk if the clot breaks off and clogs large vessels.

However, not all compression is equally useful. Of course, it will not cause harm, but the difference in effectiveness, speed of symptom relief and banal comfort is huge. On the market compete professional medical knitwear (equipped with certificates and meeting high requirements) and mass market, inexpensive compression stockings or cheap elastic bandages. The latter are not bad for general use, but are more often used for prevention or one-time use.
What is the difference between cheap and expensive compression?
Not only doctors insistently suggest the use of high-quality knitwear. Patients themselves note a significant difference in the use of, for example, elastic bandages and professional compression stockings. This is especially important for the treatment of varicose veins (the more serious the stage, the more important the correct treatment), because only certified knitwear creates the correct and even pressure on the tissue. Namely, a hosiery with a quality label creates a higher pressure in the ankle area, and smoothly decreases to the thigh area. In this way, blood is literally “pushed” from the lower limbs, which gives effective venous outflow even in conditions where the person is constantly lying down. In this way, the likelihood of blood clots and stasis is reduced.

If you treat varicose veins or undergo surgery, doctors strongly recommend not to save money. Bandages have to be wound independently, and even doctors can not always do it correctly enough to create a smooth gradation of compression from the ankles to the thigh. And patients themselves have to make dozens of attempts to do this.
But for serious problems, such as venous insufficiency, it is necessary to use more modern and effective methods, leaving elastic bandages to the past century. Remember that it is unlikely that you will be able to create adequate pressure with bandages, and even so it will be neither uniform nor measurable. That is, you can tighten the bandage too tightly or too lightly, which reduces its effectiveness and prolongs the duration of treatment. Also, bandages need to be constantly adjusted, which is a hassle if you are working and do not have comfortable conditions
But for serious problems, such as venous insufficiency, it is necessary to use more modern and effective methods, leaving elastic bandages to the past century. Remember that it is unlikely that you will be able to create adequate pressure with bandages, and even so it will be neither uniform nor measurable. That is, you can tighten the bandage too tightly or too lightly, which reduces its effectiveness and prolongs the duration of treatment. Also, bandages need to be constantly adjusted, which is a hassle if you are working and do not have comfortable conditions