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Compression stocking fitting
compression stockings · compression socks · medical compression garments · support stockings for varicose veins
A specialist measures your legs and fits stockings, knee-highs, or tights in the right size and pressure level.
For varicose veins, leg swelling, after vein surgery, in pregnancy, or to prevent blood clots as your doctor prescribes.
⏱ Duration: usually 15 to 30 minutes
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Timing. Best to come in the morning, before your legs swell.
- Preparation. If swelling is severe, you may be asked to lie with your legs raised before measuring.
- Clothes. Wear something that lets you uncover your legs up to the thigh.
What to bring
- Your doctor's prescription
- Your vein ultrasound, if you had one
- Comfortable shoes
How it goes
- The specialist asks about your prescription and symptoms
- You sit or lie down
- The ankle, calf, and thigh are measured, and leg length too
- The size and style are chosen from the measurements
- You are shown how to put them on correctly
- Sometimes you are offered a try-on
What you'll feel
- It is painless
- The stockings feel tight at first. That is normal
Afterwards
- Put the stockings on in the morning, while still in bed
- Take them off at night, unless your doctor says otherwise
- Hand wash them in warm water
- Stockings are usually replaced every 4 to 6 months. They lose pressure
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Your toes turn blue, numb, or cold in the stockings: take them off and tell your doctor
- Pain, wounds, or strong skin redness
Common questions
Can I buy stockings without being measured?
Better not. The wrong size does not help and can sometimes harm.
How can I put them on more easily?
Turn the stocking inside out down to the heel, slip it on your foot, and smooth it upward. Rubber gloves and special aids help.