How Graduate Compression Hosiery work and how they help

Graduated Compression provides firmer support at the foot and ankle, where you need it most, and gradually decreases up along the leg to the knee and thigh.  This unique construction keeps your blood pumping and circulating, in effect acting like a "second heart".  You'll feel more energetic and less fatigued all day long. 

Looking your best means giving your body the best treatment available.  When it comes to taking care of your legs, it's never to early to give them all the support you can.

ITA-MED Graduated Compression Hosiery offers the support you need yet are sheer, elegant and comfortable.  They are designed for the fashion conscious person who feels the physical pressures of an active lifestyle.  Whether you are on your feet all day or flying for hours in an airplane, ITA-MED hosiery will reduce aching and swelling in your feet and lower legs, and will help prevent the onset of varicose veins.

Varicose Veins- Why do we get them?

Arteries carry blood away from the heart and veins carry blood back to the heart.  The pressure in the arteries is high and the pressure in the veins is low.  When we are standing the blood in the veins of our legs must flow against the force of gravity back to the heart.  This causes pressure to build up in the veins of our legs.  To overcome this problem our leg muscles act as pumps and the veins have one-way valves.  Leg muscles pump blood back up to the heart, and the one-way valves prevent the blood from flowing back into our legs.  However, sometimes the valves malfunction.  The vein walls begin to weaken and dilate the valves cannot close.  When this happens, blood may flow backward and stay in the veins of lower legs.  Blood pools in the veins, they enlarge and become varicose.

Factors that increase your risk of developing venous disorders

Age: varicose veins usually appear between ages 30-70 and get progressively worse.

Gender: women are twice as likely as men to develop this condition.  Hormonal changes and weight gain during pregnancy, pre-menstruation, menopause and using oral contraceptives may be factors.  Female hormones tend to relax vein walls.

Heredity: if other family members had varicose veins, there's a greater chance you will too.

Obesity: being overweight puts added pressure on your veins.

Standing or sitting in the same position for long periods of time:  your blood doesn't flow as well if you're in the same position for long periods.  For example, flying in the economy class can potentially cause blood clots.  If any one of the above factors applies to you and you still don't have venous disorders, consider yourself lucky.  But don't tempt fate.  You are twice as likely to develop venous disorders as those who don't fall into the above categories.

Prevention (Compression up to 20mmHg)

Recommended for people who:

• Work on their feet, or lift and carry heavy loads.
• Experience fatigue, aching and swelling in the legs.
• Are at risk of developing venous disorders.
• Are pregnant, or have recently given birth.
• Have cellulite problems

Treatment (Compression over 20-40 mmHg)

Compression over 20 mmHg is recommended for treatment of already existing conditions of venous insufficiency such as: varicose veins, post-operative conditions, post-sclerotherapy, edema, blood pooling and venous stasis.

How to put on compression stockings:

Try to put them on in the morning after you get up. Gather the entire hosiery foot and leg in the hands, and ease over the toes first, stretching as you go.  Then continue, gradually easing over the foot and up the ankle, always stretching and easing to achieve a smooth, wrinkle-free fit.  When wearing pantyhose, do this process with one leg up to the knee and then begin with the other foot.  When both pantyhose legs are on up to the knees, gradually ease alternative hosiery leg up to the thighs until you can ease the hips simultaneously.

Care instructions:

Recommended hand wash in warm water with mild soap. Lay flat to dry.