What is graduated compression used for? Improving venous flow, the blood circulation in the Veins. This has many benefits for those who are prone to, or whom suffer with, venous circulatory disorders, such as Varicose Veins, Venous Stasis, Leg Fatigue, Swelling, Lymphoedema, Lipoedema, Thrombosis, Cellulitis, Phlebitis, Deep Vein Thrombosis and Chronic Venous Insufficiency. We always recommend to seek advice from your Doctor or Health Professional before purchasing graduated compression hosiery, particularly if you have suffered with Stroke, Heart Disease, Abnormal blood pressure or Diabetes.

Is graduated compression just for Legs? Graduated compression can be used for other parts of the body too. The most common use is for legs, but after that, it is very useful for the Arms, particularly for those susceptible to Lymphoedema, where this condition can sometimes affect the hands, fingers, groin, tummy and torso.

What is graduated compression? It refers to the pressure, or the gentle squeeze, that is exerted by the hosiery. It is 'graduated' because the pressure starts most at the ankle, and gradually decreases, the further up the leg you go (compression increases as you go down the leg).

How does graduated compression work? It helps push blood back into the deep veins, and back towards the Heart, improving venous flow in the blood circulatory system.

Tell me more about the blood circulation The Heart, Arteries and Veins all help pump and push your blood around your body. The Arteries carry the blood away from the Heart and the Veins carry the blood returning back to it. Veins have quite a bit of work to do when it comes to getting the Blood back from the outer extremities, such as your hands or your feet. Not only does it need a bit of help from the arm and leg muscles, but it also needs to work against gravity, going up the arms or up the legs, to get it back to the Heart.

Your Veins get help by the movement of your muscles, as they extend and contract, they help squeeze the blood through the Veins, that does not mean that when we sit still, our blood circulation stops! But certainly during long periods of immobility, such as when travelling or being in a wheelchair or in Hospital (to name a few examples), the blood circulation could certainly be affected.

A Vein is made up of tiny valves that open and close; if you can imagine a long corridor as a Vein and there are lots of sets of double doors (which are the valves) along the length of the corridor. When your muscles are in use, this helps squeeze the Veins and the valves open up, letting Blood pass through to the next set of valves, and so on, until the Blood travels back to the Heart.

Problems may only start to occur, when blood flow becomes more stagnant, such as those times when we are not able to move as we normally would. When it is more difficult for the muscles to move and aid the flow of blood through the veins. Blood may start to pool behind a valve, making it weaker, which in turn, puts more of a burden on the next valve and so on.

During times when your muscles are unable to work in conjunction with your Veins, such as when we are stuck on a long car journey, on a plane, in a wheelchair or immobile for long periods, if you wear a pair of graduated compression socks, for example, the compression will help keep your blood flow healthy, whilst your muscles are not able to. Graduated compression hosiery helps exert the pressure needed on the veins to keep the Blood passing through all the sets of double doors, and so helps to prevent the pooling effect behind the valves, keeping it healthy.