Sock it to me, doc.
A dermatologist has revealed why everyone — not just older people — should be wearing compression socks.
“Not enough people use compression socks and when they do, they’re putting them on the wrong way,” Dr. Scott Walter, who is based in Denver, Colorado, says in a recent TikTok video. “Before you scroll, no I’m not talking about older people with swollen feet, you and everyone can benefit from compression socks.”
The doctor, who has over one million followers and goes by the handle @denverskindoc, goes on to explain the myriad of benefits one can enjoy from feeling the squeeze.
Compression socks, which are essentially tight, knee-high socks, are notorious for being unflattering. But recently, they’ve been enjoying a surge in popularity. Several companies now offer options in bright colors and patterns — which have quickly replaced the dull, orthopedic versions typically favored by doctors.
Walter explained that these socks are ideal, whether you’re an office worker who sits all day, or a cashier or nurse, who is always on their feet.
“It’s pretty simple, compression improves circulation,” Walter explains. “So if you want to prevent varicose veins, especially if you’re someone who stands or sits all day, wearing compression socks can be key.”
But the socks do more than prevent unsightly varicose veins. They can actually help prevent a potentially life-threatening condition called deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT.
“You want to prevent DVTs, or deep-vein thrombosis, aka blood clots in your legs, that can travel to your lungs and cause lots of problems,” Walter reveals.
DVTs can happen when you’re not moving around much — say, on a long card ride or during a long-haul flight. Once a clot forms, the most serious risk is that it can break off, and travel toward your lungs, a blockage called a pulmonary embolism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the embolism is small enough, it can be treated. But large embolisms can stop blood from reaching the lungs and can be fatal.
It’s for this reason that compression socks can be a great idea when you have to sit for long periods of time.
But the benefits don’t stop there, says the sure-footed doc.
“If you have some sort of wound on your leg that’s taking forever to heal, compression socks can actually increase the speed of healing,” he notes.
As you age, the healing process generally slows down — but improving circulation can decrease the time it takes a wound to heal.
And although the socks are known for being a struggle to get on and off because of their tight squeeze, Walter has a hack for that, too.
“If you’ve ever tried putting them on like a normal sock, you know it’s near impossible,” the doc says before demonstrating the right way to slip them on.
Start by pinching the heel, he says, like a sock puppet.
“Next step, you’re going to invert the sock, keeping that pinch there and that’s going to create an opening and this is where you’re going to sick your foot,” he demonstrates. “So you stick your foot in like that and then all you do is you take the rest of the sock from the end and pull down and up.”
In addition to improving circulation, decreasing swelling, and helping you heal faster, a small number of studies have also shown that compression socks can improve sports performance when worn during a workout.
