Your first instinct might be to think that there would have to be a conflict between wearing compression or support hosiery and the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension).  It seems only logical to conclude that by compressing something – in this case, the outer part of the legs – the blood pressure inside the compressed veins would have to increase.

Surprisingly compression and support garments do not cause or increase blood pressure in people with normal blood vessels and circulation.  Graduated compression stockings merely increase the speed and volume of blood flowing in the veins and prevent swelling from the pooling of blood in the superficial leg veins (varicose veins) and/or excessive fluid build-up (edema) in the connective tissue of the legs.

If your healthcare provider has determined that you can benefit from wearing graduated compression stockings or support hose you need to make sure that the type and brand of compression hosiery you choose will fit you properly.  You can do this by taking the proper measurements of your legs yourself and comparing them to the sizing charts published by the manufacturer.  You can also have your legs measured at a medical supply store for a customized fit of your compression stockings.  Too tight or to loose-fitting support stockings or hose cannot provide suitable compression and could, in the worst case, even have a negative effect on your health.

See also our article on correct measuring and sizing …  simply click the link below to read it

Problems Associated with Graduated Compression Stockings – The Importance of Correct Measurements and Sizing

Howeverand here comes the big IF… If someone already suffers from arterial issues such as high blood pressure and/or circulatory problems, caution must be applied and only a thorough medical evaluation by your physician and/or a specialist can provide you with reliable answers.

Any pre-existence of arterial illnesses such as hypertension (high blood pressure) or so-called “smoker’s legs” (clogged arteries in the legs), cardiac insufficiency, or coronary heart problems such as angina or heart failure, are in medical terms “contraindications” for compression stockings.  In other words, patients with these types of illnesses would not be permitted to wear any type of compression garments because they would not help or potentially even make things worse because of these pre-existing conditions.

If you liked this post please let us know with a comment and feel free to add any personal experiences you have to contribute.



Gregory

Leave a Comment

View Comments

  • I think other web site proprietors should take this website as an model, very clean and great user friendly style and design, as well as the content. You're an expert in this topic!

  • Hey there, truly interesting posts you have here, keep up the great work, will be back for more!

  • This post was very nicely written, and it also contains a lot of useful facts. I enjoyed your professional way of writing. You have made it very easy for me to understand.

  • Whoa this blog is wonderful I love reading your posts. Keep up the great work! Lots of people are hunting around for this info, you can help them greatly.

  • Good day! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to say I truly enjoy reading your blog posts.

Recent Posts

Can Compression Stockings Help With Lipedema?

Although lipedema is a disease that has been identified as such for about ¾ of…

9 years ago

How Can Compression Socks Or Foot Sleeves Help With Plantar Fasciitis (PF)?

Your alarm goes off, you think you are ready to start your day and the…

9 years ago

Can Compression Stockings Prevent Muscle Damage During Competitive Marathon Running?

The controversy around the usefulness of compression stockings during athletic running performance continues. A recent…

9 years ago

JOBST(R) UltraSheer Knee High Stockings Now Feature New SoftFit(TM) Technology

One of the major challenges with employing compression therapy is to create a balance between…

9 years ago

Innovative Pressure Monitoring Stockings For Diabetics

Diabetes Patients May Soon be Able to Benefit from Hi-Tech Socks and Stockings Over time, the…

9 years ago

Lung Cancer Surgery Patients Have Increased Risk Of Venous Thromboembolism

According to recently published information from the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) the latest…

9 years ago