Venous insufficiency is a condition in which the valves of the veins fail to function. This interferes with venous return to the heart and causes blood to pool in the vein. Factors leading to venous insufficiency include venous stasis, changes or damage to the vein wall or valve. Venous insufficiency can lead to varicose veins, phlebitis, thrombophlebitis, blood clots, and changes in the skin, including leg ulcers.
Compression therapy is the application of external pressure to the limb to reduce venous pressure within the limb. This means wearing socks or stockings that are specially designed to support your veins and increase circulation. To be most effective, the socks or stockings should be put on at the start of your day and removed before you go to bed. Remember that the heart attempts to pump blood against gravity up the veins of the legs. As a person walks, the regular contraction and relaxation of the calf muscles around the veins are necessary to help move blood towards the heart. Some people have an inherited weakness of the vein walls or valves which create additional challenges to venous circulation. Wearing compression socks or stockings is vital for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins and other circulatory problems, especially for individuals who are at risk.
Who Should Wear Compression?
What Is Venous Insufficiency?
Why Compression Works