Compression socks and stocking are knit in a special way using elastic yarns.
They gently compression and squeeze your leg the most at the ankle, and lightens up towards the top. That’s what makes compression stockings “graduated”. Graduated means that the amount of compression changes gradually from the ankle to the top of the stocking.
Compression socks and stockings squeeze your legs and help increase circulation from your feet back up the legs to your body.
Veins that are worn out or damaged have a harder time returning blood back to your heart from your feet. That causes swelling, skin changes, infections, blood clots, and leg ulcers.
Wearing compression stockings helps prevent and manage those kinds of symptoms caused by poor circulation.
Compression socks and stockings are available in many levels of compression, usually 15-20 mmHg, 20-30 mmHg, and 30-40 mmHg. The mmHg stands for “millimeters of Mercury” which is a medical measure of pression just like in blood pressure. The higher the numbers, the more compression there is in the sock or stocking.