If you are suffering from swollen feet, and are having problems getting your shoes on, buy some compression socks/stockings.

They will help pump the excess fluid back up the legs, and reduce the swelling. You can wear them under your normal socks, so nobody will notice.

These compression garments also help reduce the risk of a Deep Vein Thrombosis (blood clot), due to you not moving your legs.

Simon

Are the ones used for air travel OK for this?

Oh, and by the way, anyone got any solution to the tournique effect of leg bag straps?

I cannot be without my support hose...I even sleep in mine.

As for the leg bag constriction, I have no first-hand experience with that, but I do have a similar problem with the support hose rolling down at the top, creating a tourniquet-like effect.

I'm wondering if it would help to sew a band of stiffer material around the top of the stocking, turn it down and inside, to protect my skin.

Likewise, it may help with the leg bag problem, if you placed a wider band of stiffer, but soft, material under the straps to more evenly distribute the pressure of the strap?

I'm not sure about the Air Travel Stockings, but I don't see why not.

I was going to buy a pair as they are on offer at the moment, and they're the closed toe type in black. This means I won't have to wear socks over the top of them.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Simon

Me too, I wear them all the time and have since my injury in 1995.

I haven't had any problems with swelling or blood clots...*knock on wood!

Hi all,

I've just been talking to a pharmacist, and they said that if you have been prescribed your support stockings by a doctor, you shouldn't replace them with air travel socks as they are both designed to do different jobs.

I think the stockings prescribed by doctors give a higher degree of compression to pump all those fluids back up the legs in someone who is paralysed. Whereas travel socks are not as good at pushing the fluids back up as they are designed for abled bodied people.

You may still be able to get closed toe stockings though to stop the end of the stockings digging into your toes.

I'll see what's available.

Simon.

Here we go, these closed toe socks give good compression for venous return, and if you're in the UK, you can get them on prescription for free.

I've had mine on for about a week now, and they're fine, no more crimped toes!

Simon.

Thanks, just sent a prescription request/fax off to my doctors.

I want to wear my stockings as I know they reduce swelling, but I get bad marks on my feet from them, so I don't bother. I even got a sore from them while I was in the spinal injuries unit (I was totally dependent then, so it wasn't my fault!!)

Keps,

Did you turn them inside out so the seams are on the outside?

I find this helps reduce crease marks, it works with socks as well.

Also, the open toe type may cut into your toes, try the closed toe type.

Simon

Another angle is to wear socks that go to a different level on your feet. I know that they come in a number of different lengths: ankle, knee, over knee, upper thigh. Although, not recommended, you can pre-stretch or break down the upper sock to reduce the dreaded red ring. Just take some time to stretch it in the problem area until it does not constrict much.

I wear the knee high socks and the red ring use to get me at the upper calf where the sock ends. I just stretched the heck out of it in that area and now don't have that problem.

Very interested in swollen feet topic as i have been having some problems.
Having tried over the last almost 9 years to find socks which don't mark my feet i have now found some excellent ones from a company called Phiten.
These socks are so well shaped around the ankles and are also impregnated with titanium which helps reduce leg pain. Would really recommend then, not so sure about air travel but they have made and amazing difference to me
They are available online from www.metacog.co.uk
Hope this is of some help

No, it's not from the seams that I get marks.

It's on the natural bend in the foot that is on the top of the foot, where the foot joins the leg. If that makes sense! There's no seam there, but the socks just seem to cut into my feet.

That's where I get bad marks from compression stockings. I'm fine with ordinary socks, though.

I also had that problem. I wait until my foot is on the footplate in the position I wish it to be in, and then pull the stocking up slightly.

This pulls the stocking out of the crease on the top of your foot, relieving the pressure.

Regards

Simon.

OMG, I can't believe I'd never thought of that!!!!
How on earth did I not think of pulling them up after getting up?

I feel really thick now!

Ok, so I'll try it soon...I hope it works.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Alright, so I tried your tip, and I really thought it might work for me but.....
AAAAARRRRRGGGHH!
It didn't!

I'm just going to stick with fat feet, I think!

Thanks for the tip, anyway.

Hi Keps,

Sorry to hear the tip didn't work , still, it was worth a try.

Regards

Simon.

I was told that I would have to get used to the swollen feet & pressure in the lower legs after my accident. I now see a reflexologist once a week and have never had a problem unless I miss my appointment for some reason.......

For the tournique effect try using the "urocare leg bag holder" its great and comes in different sizes and for lower or upper leg

Hi All, with regard to swollen feet and legs, Would suggest you talk to your Drs, about lymphodema, which is not the same as odema, my daughter has this, normal ly related to cancer and the lymph nodes, but can be caused by stress/trauma as in her case. not too many lymph clinics around, but there stockings are made to measure, and are check regularly, in her case, she likes no toes in her stockings, suits her better, The measurements are very important. I think the leg is measured every couple of inches, Sorry to say a lot of GP's appear not know much about it, and even in some cases try to say nothing can be done. do not listen. it is a serious and painful problem, there is a UK Lymph site, Hope that is of some interest to you, and of course these stockings are also on prescription,
Cate

ted hose are hard for quads to deal with...i've been wearing them for 3 months now and theyre difficult, at best....i only have to deal w/them 3 more weeks til my ampu. surg....it'll be nice not to have to deal with shoes and hose anymore

I use over-the-calf men's support socks. Gold Toe makes a good quality product. They're shaped like your lower leg and give good support. I just have the tops folded down so they don't cut into the back of my knee. That also provides a bit of a 'shelf' for my leg-bag strap to sit above. That way, it won't slide down my leg. They run about $9 a pair, at JC Penney.

Kep,

I had the same problem at the top of my foot... it was red in the crease from my compression socks. Simon's suggestion was something I tried in the beginning but to no avail. What DID work was just a small piece of cotton batting, the type used to wrap over sterile bandages (it comes in rolls like sterile guaze), placed at that part of my foot, then the sock pulled over it, did the trick perfectly.

Hi all,
I tried the Scholls but because the toe section had the same degree of compression as the ankle, they tended to squash my toes together too much.

I have just got some socks, rather than stockings, from here:
http://www.pebbleuk.com/acatalog/mens_socks.html#a7
and although they are a bit more expensive than the Scholls the toe section is slack - no compression at all, which makes them much more comfortable. I don't know whether they are available on prescription in the UK.

A quick word of caution on this. Talk to your doctor before buying any compression socks or stockings!

I've just had a finger-wagging from my doc. I tried several brands of pressure socks and they did reduce the swelling in my ankles and feet but I found that my feet were then permanently very cold, even when the socks were taken off at night.

When I mentioned this to the doc, she immediately examined my feet and announced that I had poor arterial circulation in both feet, and that on no account should I ever wear pressure socks. She has referred me for further tests to establish whether medical intervention is required.

Anybody wanna buy some second hand, almost clean pressure socks?

Quick update on this : Had "Doppler" test that confirmed my arterial circulation was fine. Doc had change of heart and I'm now back to wearing compression socks !

Having said that, it's still a good idea to check with a doc before going ahead with them.

(Second hand socks no longer for sale )

shame greybeard, I thought it might be the start of a new fetish here ;)

Hi all,

This board still amazes me with the info that can be found here,
I was going to post asking the question that is answered in this old thread, so off to doctors Monday to get my feet checked for the swelling.

In a earlier post on this thread someone asked about leg selling because of the leg bag straps, for any who don’t know Bard do “Urisleeve™” & Coloplast “AquaSleeve” which hold the leg bag.
I use the aquasleeve & they work great.
Hope info is of use,
CR

Are these the stockings or Jowb Stocking, hooppe I spelt that right.