According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100 million adults living in the U.S. have diabetes or prediabetes. It’s a disease in which the body is unable to produce or respond to the hormone insulin which results in the inability to regulate blood glucose levels due to abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates. One of the major impacts the disease has on the body is its effect on the lower extremities. That’s where compression socks can help. Find out the ways diabetes can take a toll on the human body and how compression socks can be used to manage the unwanted side effects of the disease.
Side Effects of Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that has the potential of negatively impacting almost every organ in your body including the eyes, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, gums, teeth, heart, nerves and blood vessels. When it comes to being diabetic, the trick to keeping it under control is practicing careful awareness and management to prevent and treat side effects.
The disease can increase the potential for blood vessel and nerve damage that can cause bad circulation, pain, cramping, changes in skin color and loss of sensation in various body parts. When diabetics experience blood vessel damage, vessel walls in the leg may lose their elasticity, which causes the valves inside to pull apart. This can be detrimental for circulating blood, because these valves are responsible for opening and closing to regulate the flow of blood in the right direction. When valves are pulled apart due to the weakening of the vessel walls, blood can then flow in two directions, one being the wrong direction that causes blood to pool in the wrong places. These circulation problems can lead to peripheral edema, which is swelling, around the feet, ankles, and legs. Because of this, foot problems are very common among diabetic patients and in severe cases, some living with the disease may experience such bad conditions leading to amputation. But it doesn’t need to get to that! If you work at combating the extremely negative impacts of diabetes you can gain the best control of the situation at hand…or foot. Compression socks can be the solution to improving the symptoms caused by nerve and blood vessel damage.
What Are Compression Socks?
Compression socks are a special type of stockings that fit snuggly on a person’s feet and legs. They are typically made of stretchy fabric that has been tailored to place more pressure around the ligaments compared to other types of socks. Many will feature what is called “graduated compression,” which means the subtle pressure that wraps around the ligaments is tighter towards the bottom of the foot and ankle area and gets looser the higher up the garment is on the leg.
Who Uses Compression Socks?
A large scope of people look to compression socks as their go-to foot gear for various reasons. Compression socks work by putting pressure on the legs and feet in order to encourage better blood flow. So essentially anyone looking for pain relief in their lower limbs can benefit from wearing compression socks. Those who have just gotten surgery, experience varicose veins, struggle to move their legs or stand all day for their occupation gravitate towards this type of sock. Athletes, pilots, pregnant women and diabetics also benefit greatly from wearing them.
How Do Compression Socks Work for Diabetics?
The meticulous and intentional design of compression socks promotes the flow of oxygen-rich blood via the arteries to the muscles so that they can relax. At the same time, veins are pressured to push more blood flow back to the heart so that circulation can be moved along. The physics of this scientific, graduated pressure design can effectively promote blood flow to the limbs that have been suffering from diabetic complications.
Compression socks can help combat symptoms of the disease by reducing swelling, aches, pain, and fatigue in the legs and feet. They are a viable non-invasive treatment method for diabetic patients suffering from poor circulation and nerve damage to the feet and legs. Compression socks work to improve nerve sensitivity and continuously stop swelling from occurring.
Diabetics must also be more cautious of foot injuries, such as cuts or scrapes. When these go unnoticed, the combination of poor circulation and the body’s limited ability to repair these ulcers can result in life-threatening conditions. Extra padded, properly fitted compression socks that are resistant to wrinkling can help prevent cuts from shoes by reducing the chance of friction.
Where to Buy Compression Socks?
Compression socks can be the support you need in managing your diabetes and getting its side effects under control. If you’re ready to keep pushing through the daily struggles of diabetes and get that circulation moving in your lower extremities, it’s time to invest in a high-quality pair of compression socks.
PRO Compression offers world-class compression socks that address the problems diabetics can experience. Our socks will work to increase blood circulation in your lower ligaments by helping to reduce swelling and aching. Not all diabetics experience the same conditions, so you’ll want to choose the compression sock that addresses your specific needs. You can shop for either compression socks that cover both your feet, ankles, and calves or compression sleeves that mainly wrap around the calf area. Both these options will apply about 20 – 30 mmHg of pressure on your ligaments and the graduated compression feature will apply the most pressure at the ankle level and gradually decreases compression as you move up the socks or sleeves. This works to force blood upwards and reduce swelling.
Experience all the great benefits PRO Compression socks provide for diabetics of all walks. You can gain control of the disease’s negative effects by starting from the bottom up and purchasing a life-changing pair of socks that will ease your pain and promote better health.