What Do Compression Socks Do? How They Work and More

Here’s everything you need to know about compression socks

Compression socks—also known as compression stockings—are a garment that applies pressure to the ankles, lower legs, and feet. This type of legging comes in several different sizes and strengths and can serve a variety of medical purposes.

This article will detail how compression socks work, why people wear them, and which type might be right for your individual needs.

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Compression socks are a pressure-inducing garment that usually cover a portion of the feet and lower legs. These snug stockings help improve venous circulation (blood traveling back to the heart). They also assist in reducing swelling by applying gentle pressure to the legs.

Many types of compression stockings are available over the counter and without a prescription. In some cases, however, your medical provider may recommend custom stockings. In these situations, the provider will typically take measurements of your legs to ensure the socks fit appropriately and provide the necessary pressure.

Finding the right type of compression sock can be confusing. This is because there are several different variables to consider, including:

Make sure your compression socks are snug but not uncomfortably tight. Though you should feel the pressure applied, the stockings should not cut off your circulation or cause soreness.

Wearing compression socks can offer a variety of health benefits, including:

The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body through the arteries. After providing nourishment to a given area, the blood pumps back to the heart through the body’s veins. Because the blood in the legs has to fight gravity and travel the farthest distance back to the heart, its flow occasionally becomes impaired.

Compression socks improve blood flow by squeezing the legs and helping the veins push the blood back to the heart. This pressure helps prevent blood from pooling in the lower extremities. The compression that these stockings provide also moves any swelling that is present through the body’s lymphatic system and out of the affected region.

Wearing compression stockings is reasonably safe. It is important, however, to consult with your medical provider and closely follow the wearing schedule they suggest. This is because wearing ill-fitting stockings for too long can lead to skin irritation and breakdown. Moisture buildup from perspiration may also cause localized infections to develop.

In very rare cases, pressure ulcers or even nerve injuries can also result from improperly fitting stockings. These situations are extremely uncommon and usually occur in individuals with poor sensation in their lower extremities.

There are only a few groups of individuals who may be contraindicated from wearing compression socks. This includes people with:

If you have questions about whether wearing compression stockings is appropriate for your condition, speak to a medical professional.

Most people can wear compression socks on a daily basis. That said, the wearing schedule can vary greatly from person to person depending on the reason for wearing the stockings. Though some people wear compression socks only while exercising, others who are at risk of a blood clot may wear the stockings the entire time they are awake.

Taking your stockings off intermittently to prevent infections or skin irritation from occurring is important. Your healthcare provider is your best resource for determining a schedule that best fits your individual needs.

Compression socks are a medical garment that applies pressure to the legs, ankles, and feet. These stockings can serve a variety of purposes including preventing blood clots, improving circulation, and reducing swelling. Though wearing these socks is relatively safe, talking to your medical provider about what type of sock and pressure is right for you is important.

Center for Health and the Global Environment. Compression socks for arthritis: a guide. Updated 2023.

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Mota GR, de Moura Simim MA, dos Santos IA, et al. Effects of wearing compression stockings on exercise performance and associated indicators: a systematic review. Open Access J Sports Med. 2020;11:29-42. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S198809

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By Tim Petrie, DPT, OCSTim Petrie, DPT, OCS, is a board-certified orthopedic specialist who has practiced as a physical therapist for more than a decade.