The short answer would be – men have leg problems too and should wear compression stockings and support hose for the same reasons as women do.  Women wearing support hosiery of one type or another are doing so for the obvious reasons of keeping or making their legs more comfortable and healthy.

Men Wearing Compression Stockings and Support Hosiery – What’s Up With That?

Aside from medical conditions, the most common reasons for both men and women wearing compression stockings or support pantyhose are to prevent or relieve feelings of aching, cramping, heaviness or swelling in the legs or feet.  The prevalence of leg pain, heaviness and swelling in both genders is often closely associated with vein health issues or occupations requiring men or women to be on their feet all day, as well as standing or sitting motionless for hours at a time.

Many women have been “in the know” about the benefits of graduated compression or support hose for years, mainly through manufacturer advertising.  These ads have been touting the benefits of “revitalizing support” and “sheer energy” in pantyhose and stockings for decades. Others were advised by their health care provider to wear compression stockings if they were at risk of a venous condition such as deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins or to help with swelling in the legs during pregnancy.

Men, on the other hand, have only recently begun to discover the wellness benefits of compression socks, compression stockings or support pantyhose.  One of the obvious obstacles for males has been and still is the fact that these compression and support garments are considered “hosiery”.

This has not, at least by more modern perception, been a clothing item associated with guys unless you wanted to be labeled as weird, strange, or a cross dresser simply because of what you are wearing. Interestingly, it seems that for a long time women have been able to wear pretty much any type of traditionally male clothing and nobody gives it a second thought or it is just considered “sexy”.

The only conclusion with this can be that women have simply taken a stand to wear whatever they please. Consequently the only logical conclusion for guys would be to follow suit.  They need to overcome the outdated attitudes and misconceptions that seem to prevent many men from enjoying the soothing and regenerative benefits of compression and support hosiery. We also recommend reading some of our related posts:

Can Real Men Wear Compression Stockings?

Why the Big Fuss about Compression Stockings for Men and Compression Stockings for Women?

Compression Stockings and Support Hosiery can Benefit Men and Women

The simple fact is that most legs – male or female – can benefit from wearing compression stockings, whether it is for preventative reasons or to reduce or eliminate already existing symptoms.  The graduated compression of these stockings holds the power to assist with optimizing the return blood flow in our legs with a gentle massaging action throughout our entire day.