Then we noted how our legs felt during and after wear, including how easy it was to put on and take off the socks, how soft and breathable the fabric was, and whether the socks were overly loose or restrictive while being worn. mmHg: Great for sports recovery, daily wear, medical recovery, and to manage mild symptoms of varicose and spider veins. The pressure also can cause minor bruising or skin ulcers, and tightly fitting socks also can cause dry skin, redness, and itching. Sheer fabric: These are lightweight, transparent, and fashionable, and are easy to pair with many clothes.

We appreciated how lightweight and comfortable they are, but also how they stayed in place all day, went on and came off easily, and helped our legs feel less fatigued at the end of the day. While lower-level compression garments can be worn by just about anyone to provide extra comfort and reduce leg/foot pain or swelling, 20-30 mmHg compression hose are primarily intended to be worn for medical purposes. It’s also best to put them on in the morning when your legs are least swollen and then take them off at night before bed.

mmHg is considered medical-grade compression and generally recommended or prescribed by your doctor. This pair has a designated left and right sock, which lululemon says makes them fit more comfortably, but we thought it made the toe seam a little stiff and uncomfortable. These socks have a 20-30 mmhg compression level that is ideal for all-day, everyday wear, sitting or standing for long periods.

Fifty-eight professionally active individuals without symptoms of venous insufficiency or just with telangiectasia (C0 and C1 in the CEAP classification) were included in the study. Some mention that they are a good fit and provide support, while others say that they were too tight and too big at the ankle. The fact is that OE is uncomfortable; it causes a feeling of heaviness and tiredness and can lead to reduced productivity, increased work absenteeism, and poor quality of life, as well as being perhaps one of the first manifestations of decompensation of the venous and lymphatic systems [ 12], in particular in individuals with higher body mass indexes [ 14]. We thought they ran a bit long, but we think that attribute could work well for taller users—and we didn’t experience any added discomfort from needing to fold them over to fit under the knee. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average.

This compression level is often referred to as Class I or as Firm Support and used to treat mild to moderate swelling (edema), varicose veins, DVT, post-sclerotherapy and for the prevention of venous stasis ulcers. He is a seasoned financial and technology journalist who served as editor-in-chief of the Potomac Tech Wire for nearly two decades, and is a regular contributor to the sports pages of The Baltimore Sun.