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Medical knitwear is a kind of medical fabrics that are used as a tool not only for prevention, but also for a full-fledged treatment as part of complex or monotherapy. The second option provides for a postoperative recovery period, when the issue of vascular insolvency was resolved by a radical method.
Most often, products from such a fabric are necessary for varicose veins. Depending on the chosen type of vascular mesh holder, it can be said for which specific purposes it is suitable. For some patients, it is enough just to wear appropriate underwear for several months to prevent processes that destroy venous activity.
Others have to wear such clothes for an order of magnitude longer, or even put them on after venous insufficiency has been resolved by surgery. An artificially created elastic frame, which is often included in underwear for the lower extremities, will help the body to return to normal faster without significant consequences.
If you know where to buy this kind of product, as well as choose the right solution according to the requirements put forward in terms of technical characteristics, you will be able to find the best option in a short time. With such an assistant, with correct operation, a person will quickly achieve the first positive changes, even if we are talking about ordinary prevention.
How it works
Some confuse medical knitwear with bandages or elastic bandages. They are really similar both in structure and spectrum of action. But the first one is often positioned as a material for creating things that support the venous system of the lower extremities.
Initially, ordinary rags were used for these purposes. A little later, bandages came into use, and then their elastic alternatives. Today, the functions of reliable support for destabilized veins are performed by compression stockings. So medical fabric is called in professional terminology.
But if the “ancestors” of the modern well-thought-out product pressed on the skin over the entire coverage area, then with innovative techniques it was possible to distribute the pressure unevenly. Each foot area that needs to be controlled is affected to varying degrees by external influences. This allows you to more effectively influence the stalled blood flow.
The maximum compression always falls on the lower part of such a specific vestment, being fixed in the ankle area. This tactic is explained by the physiological characteristics of the body, because it is at the bottom that the greatest effort is required to raise the blood flow further along the natural path.
But the higher the blood path rises, the lower the venous load indicator becomes.
Schematically, the diagram looks something like this:
- 100% ankle;
- 70% on the upper part of the leg;
- 40% on the thigh.
Moreover, some linen modifications generally do not provide for continuation right up to the femoral zone, being limited to the knee area or even lower. Regardless of the height of the product, it is designed to properly compress the veins to help stagnant blood be pushed up. So it turns out better to control the process of movement.
Thanks to such a thoughtful distribution program, it turns out to normalize the blood flow, which moves towards the heart muscle. Researchers confirm the effectiveness of the method, since it is based on the principles of natural load, which must be performed by human muscle fibers, but due to some factors it cannot be carried out as expected.
If you choose the right compression class, then it will be allowed to be worn even by those who just want to take care of their own health for prevention purposes. It has been noticed that those people who use the lightest versions of the product from the presented material do not feel tired at the end of a long day of work. Following disappears swelling and a feeling of constant heaviness.
Despite the fact that elastic fibers are often used to create a hosiery range of therapeutic products, some manufacturers even supply special sleeves to the pharmacological market. They are necessary for the distribution of compression on the upper limbs.
Traditional bandages are also made from this kind of thread, but to support the abdominal cavity or the belly that has grown during pregnancy, its softer versions and uniform compression are attracted. The good news here is that such auxiliary tools have practically no absolute contraindications.
But wearing all of the above on an ongoing basis is a bad idea. It is necessary to follow the individually issued instructions of the treating phlebologist or therapist.
Therapeutic effect
Regardless of which particular parts of the body will be involved in compression therapy, the expected results are almost the same everywhere.
This is about:
- protection of veins from expansion, which occurs due to the verified external pressure on the problem area;
- stabilization of blood flow;
- improving the transport of nutrients and oxygen to affected or potentially damaged tissues.
The result guarantees the prevention of the development of thrombosis. Such a scenario will seem especially relevant to those who have a bad predisposition on a given question.
To achieve this productivity, manufacturers are using more than just a cotton base. To create a reliable frame attract:
- microfiber;
- lycra;
- nylon.
Outwardly finished items from medical knitwear do not despair of traditional nylon tights. Adds to them similarities and the fact that the finished copies do not provide for the presence of seams.
Among other advantages, the absence of allergens in the composition is distinguished. But here individual intolerance to some components is possible, so allergy sufferers will still have to keep their eyes open.
Despite the fact that pulling on even socks from the presented elastic material is a problematic task and often a special device is required to implement the plan, the fabric is quite pleasant to the body. In addition, it lets air through, which makes it a practical piece of clothing in the summer. And if you add to this open models without a toe or heel, then you get the optimal solution for the hot months.
To achieve an ideal distribution of pressure along the entire length of the proposed tool is obtained through innovative computer technology. If you properly care for the purchase, then its original performance can be maintained for a whole year.
Medical indications
There are several approaches to create progressive classifications of unusual fibers. But the most important sorting is the division regarding the future intended use:
- preventive;
- medical;
- hospital.
The first point has the weakest pressure, since overdoing this part threatens to worsen the condition, and not benefit the body. The second category involves the involvement of devices after a diagnosed venous abnormality. Often, wearing hosiery alone is not enough with pronounced symptoms of the pathology. Therefore, the assistant is involved as an integral element of complex treatment.
The hospital decision is allowed to be involved only in the conditions of the inpatient department of hospitals, when the medical staff will be able to monitor the ward and his health in full. This kind of underwear will be needed after a radical intervention or a more gentle minimally invasive sclerotherapy.
Preventive kits are recommended for the following primary manifestations:
- spider veins;
- enlargement of veins and their bulging;
- soreness in the feet and legs in general;
- puffiness, which does not always have time to go in the morning.
To achieve the desired effect, the authors use fibers with an applied pressure of no more than 18 mm Hg as prevention tools. This is enough to balance the increased blood pressure with localization in the lower parts of the veins.
The principle of preventing swelling is based on the fact that the liquid does not have time to accumulate in the ankle area due to mild external influence. This property will be useful not only for people who are already sick, but also for those who are simply at risk. Among them are those who:
- has a bad heredity;
- stays in a sitting or standing position for a long time without movement due to professional activities;
- actively goes in for sports and wants to prevent various professional injuries.
One of the most significant advantages of such an assistant is the absence of the need to obtain a special prescription for its purchase from a doctor. But a preliminary consultation with a phlebologist is still required. An experienced specialist may notice more significant manifestations of the disease, additionally sending the victim to undergo a thematic examination.
Standard classification
If we talk about the protection of the venous tracts on the lower extremities due to therapeutic knitwear, then here it will be possible to single out several basic products for the implementation of the planned course. It:
- tights;
- stockings;
- golf courses
Socks, although they are also made with an identical composition, are more suitable for professional athletes, tourists, outdoor enthusiasts. And sleeves designed to take care of the health of the hands are much more difficult to find in pharmacies than anything else.
Tights are recognized as the most popular venous holder. Patients prefer them because of the large area covered by the affected vessels, which allows them to correct their appearance even at the level of the thigh. For ladies in the position, tights are also best suited, as they provide room for a growing belly.
If the size grid and pressure class were chosen correctly, then a good pair will end exactly at the waist. If you get greedy and buy the wrong model, then this will spoil the overall therapeutic effect, or, even worse, harm the body.
Doctors say that it is easier to remove tights than other things of this type, but you will have to work hard to put them on. People who suffer from deviations in the functioning of the back, pregnant women, as well as elderly consumers, it is better to play it safe in advance and buy a butler. This is the name of an easy-to-use installation, which is designed to simplify the process of vesting, especially in cases of very elastic frames.
Only after proper tension will it be possible to protect the leg from the constant slipping of the “trouser leg” during active actions.
According to the instructions, most manufacturers allow the use of medicinal ointments, creams and other cosmetics. It is better to apply them before going to bed, when the tights have already been removed, in order to restore the upper skin layer from strong external influences. Moisturizing mixtures are best suited, which will be quickly absorbed due to the light structure.
But if stockings and tights are more often chosen by the fairer sex, who, according to statistics, become victims of varicose veins almost twice as often as men, then the latter prefer golf or socks. They are easy to wear under pants without attracting too much attention.
Here it is worth getting ready for the fact that the men’s versions have less choice in the designer line. In this regard, it is easier for women, because they can choose a color and even a pattern.
But, regardless of the gender of the patient, it is contraindicated for him to use the indicated vascular fixators in the presence of the following diseases:
- aortoarteritis;
- endoarteritis;
- atherosclerosis;
- trophic ulcers;
- open wound surfaces;
- purulent inflammation;
- eczema;
- necrosis.
Sometimes a ban on wearing is issued due to the general unstable condition of the victim, so the last word always rests with the doctor.
Compression types
If the drug strategy is designed to work on eliminating the cause of vein damage, then wearing special knitted frames helps to get rid of negative external manifestations. This includes soreness, feeling of weights tied to the ankles.
If you follow an individual rehabilitation program, then after a few weeks you can notice positive changes in dynamics, including:
- reduction in the diameter of the veins;
- normalization of the valve mechanism;
- decrease in blood viscosity;
- increase in the rate of age-related blood flow;
- reducing the risk of thrombosis.
Separately, it is worth highlighting the improvement in the ability of the venous-muscular pump to push blood, which became possible due to the compression of the veins hiding in the muscle fibers.
For the same reason, capillaries begin to more actively absorb extracellular fluid, which reduces the percentage of swelling.
But in order to achieve such significant results, and to consolidate them at the established level, it is worth purchasing fixators only in certified orthopedic medical salons or pharmacies.
They will also help you deal with the intricacies of the compression classification, which includes several categories:
- Up to 23 mm Hg Art. This is quite enough to get rid of spider veins, points and other primary manifestations of venous instability. The first class will help to cope with an increase in saphenous veins, as well as eliminate discomfort at the end of a working day spent in a standing or sitting position without much movement.
- Up to 33 mmHg The second class is positioned as an effective treatment format for thrombophlebitis confirmed by phlebologists, or varicose veins, but still in the stage of moderate severity.
- Up to 45 mmHg This kind of hosiery is a good tool for the fight against venous insufficiency in a general severe clinical situation when trophism is disturbed.
- Up to 50 mm Hg Such strong pressure indicators are suitable only for those patients in whom the standard lymph flow is disturbed, leading to swelling.
- If on the package there is no designation made in the mercury column, but only a marking in Dens, then this is the first sign of a possibly poor-quality product. If the parameters of the mercury column indicate compression features, then Dens only indicate the density of the tissue.
How to choose the right product
First of all, experts advise to decide on the type of linen. Tights, although they are considered the most convenient format for daily use, but they are the most expensive, which often stops patients from buying them.
Stockings that end at the top of the thigh or stockings that generally only reach the knee will be much cheaper. If the distribution of the venous network does not exceed the indicated indicators, then even such shortened modifications will suffice.
It is equally important to correctly calculate the size. Difficulties here are added by the fact that all manufacturers like to build their own tables according to dimensional grids. From the general, only some measurement points are noted.
If you want to buy exactly golfs, which is indicated in the prescription from the phlebologist, then before going to the pharmacy, you should take measurements at home:
- lower leg circumference over the ankle area;
- circumference of the lower leg on the upper part;
- under the knee joint;
- total length of the foot;
- distance from the foot to the knee joint.
If the prescription says that the victim needs stockings, then you will need to make all the same measurements as for golf, but only add two more points. The first provides for the size of the thigh girth at a height of 25 cm from the knee joint. If the victim is tall, then the measurement must be raised to a distance of 30 cm.
The second point involves measuring the length of the leg to the zone of removal of the circumference of the thigh, or to the groin. Only in this way will it be possible to choose the optimal solution that would not slip during active physical activity, tightly adhering to the affected area.
Taking measurements for tights deserves special attention, since here you will have to repeat everything described above, but also add a few points. We are talking about measuring the circumference of the waist and hips, as well as the length of the leg from the foot to the groin.
The experts have one piece of advice for those who are just starting to wear compression garments. Due to the fact that elastic fibers can initially cause discomfort, you should not abandon the idea of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbsuch prevention. But if the situation only worsens every day, and progress is not visible, then this is a reason to contact your doctor for advice.
In rare cases, even original high quality stockings, given the right size, can cause discomfort when worn that cannot be overcome. Then it is better to go roundabout ways, looking for an alternative treatment format.
Indications for pregnant women
Most obstetricians and gynecologists agree that wearing compression products for pregnant women is indicated even without significant prerequisites for this. This is explained by the transformations of the body, forced to cope with increased loads. Also, the legs have a hard time due to the sudden weight gain.
If there are no serious symptoms, it is enough just to take advantage of the preventive variations that are shown already from the first trimester. If there are pronounced signs of the development of venous insufficiency at a later date, then it is better not to experiment with your own health. When contacting a phlebologist in such situations, it will be possible to avoid starting irreversible processes, which is often found in pregnant women in the third trimester who have abandoned treatment.
The developers of products for women in an interesting position took care of the convenience for ladies by making inserts from an elastic bandage in the upper part of the tights. So it will turn out to have a beneficial effect not only on the lower limbs, but also to gently support the growing belly. The second positive quality is the attraction of compositions with increased air permeability.
But even taking into account the presence of the so-called leggings of pantyhose, not all women run the risk of purchasing such products with limited capacity for a growing belly. Hence the rightly drawn conclusion regarding the much greater practicality of stockings.
You will be pleased with the assortment of stockings with a wide choice of colors and designs, which will make it possible not to distinguish therapeutic agents from ordinary ones, as well as several options for execution. Classic modifications are in the greatest demand. But in recent years, versions with an elastic band made of silicone material have begun to gain great popularity.
Summer combinations include an open toe, while advanced solutions rely on a special corset belt that comes with a Velcro closure.
How to wear
Despite the outward resemblance to traditional nylon products, putting on things made of compression fabric is much more difficult. Due to the fact that the legs in any case will begin to swell immediately after waking up during physical activity, it is worth putting on retainers in the morning, without even getting out of bed.
No stretching, twisting, significant tension is allowed. Otherwise, you can spoil the original elastic structure due to tearing of thin threads. If put on incorrectly, after a couple of weeks, any golf will lose its original practical value.
Instead of aggressively pulling, you should collect the upper part like an accordion. Next, the palm is inserted inside the hole formed and only after that they are put on the foot, taking into account the location of the heel. It is necessary to straighten the accordion layers gradually, pulling smoothly on the lower leg. If you want to wear tights, then this is also done in a horizontal position, raising the torso to simplify the task.
Sometimes it happens that the purchased pair of things turned out to be just below the end of a pronounced vascular network or a bulging vein. This is due to the negligence of the buyer himself.
With such a development of events, wearing golfs will not be superfluous, as it will have an indirect effect. This will be possible due to the stabilization of blood flow over the covered area of the leg, so you can still use an unsuccessful purchase. But to get a more productive result, you still have to look for a more suitable alternative, taking into account the previous mistake.
Another controversial issue is the ability to wear knitwear over already swollen legs. Regardless of why it was not possible to pull the retainer at a more appropriate time, it can be worn on swollen legs. It will simply be more difficult to complete the task, because the ankles will already be swollen.
The final topic, which is also often of interest to patients, is the need to sleep in stockings. In fact, most phlebologists recommend taking them off at night so that the skin has time to recover and “breathe”. Such a recommendation is especially relevant for those who suffer from 1-2 degrees of venous insufficiency. They will not have compression in a horizontal position.
But if a person accidentally fell asleep in golfs, then this should not cause significant harm to him.
Following such simple recommendations, each patient will be able to improve the condition of their veins, or recover after a major operation.