January 14, 2021 Compression socks: My essential accessory for well-being

Written by Vanessa Daigle. Find her biography at the end of this article.

I was talking with a client recently about her life journey and lifestyle changes when she told me that she had recently hurt her knee after a nasty fall. The injury caused her to develop edema (excess fluid that accumulates in a specific area under the skin), which was causing her concern. Following the injury, she was prescribed compression socks. As a natural fashionista, my client seemed discouraged, telling me that they made her feel old. I laughed, then via Zoom, I showed her my beautiful compression socks from Supporo. They are my essential well-being accessory!

 

Genetics, varicose veins and me

I am 32 years old as I write this and I have been wearing compression socks for more than 10 years now. Have you ever been angry at your genetics? I know I have ;) Personally, I have not been blessed with the best circulation. Even in my early twenties, I had small varicose veins on my legs paired with unbearable leg aches. For those who are unaware, treatments are available. Varicose veins can be caused by several factors including:

• Sub-optimal blood circulation
• Sitting positions that don’t promote circulation (i.e., sitting cross-legged)
• Being overweight
• Standing for long periods of time
• Pregnancy

That’s why the keyword here is PREVENTION. In order to avoid other complications, you have to take care of your legs. In addition to maintaining good posture, wearing compression socks is a must. When I first started wearing them a few years ago, I was a little apprehensive because I thought they were super ugly (just being honest)! Truthfully, I didn’t really want to wear them. But, I noticed a huge improvement in my leg pain so that forced me to continue wearing them. I was so relieved when I discovered Supporo: Finally a brand that cares about how their products look!

 

Pregnancy: perfect timing

In fact, I discovered Supporo recently while I was updating my compression sock “wardrobe”.  Being newly pregnant, my leg pain started to come back and during my first trimester, I noticed that the pain was getting even worse. It’s true that pregnancy can cause circulation problems, especially in your legs. My mom told me that she first noticed her varicose veins while she was pregnant. Watch out for them! To be honest, while varicose veins impacted my comfort levels, I also have to admit that the way my legs look is very important to me. That’s why I’m taking all the necessary precautions ;)

 

Ideal for athletes

Finally, even when I’m not pregnant, I still try to wear my compression socks often. With that said, I don’t wear them everyday. However, I know exactly when I do need to wear them, i.e., if I’m planning a strenuous workout, going on a long outing, or a few years back while working in restaurants. During those times, my compression socks allow me to sleep peacefully without feeling any leg pain.

In fact, compression socks are becoming increasingly popular in the sports community. Since I’m not a professional athlete or a physiotherapist, I can’t really speak on their therapeutic benefits or their impact on my sports performance. But, I can speak from my experience and I know that I couldn’t do without them.

Thanks to Supporo for letting me be bold and talk about my unflattering varicose vein problem;)

 

Vanessa Daigle is a Nutritionist and Content Creator who’s passionate about sports. Check out her Instagram, Facebook page, and website!