Should I wear support hose?

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Specializes in NICU.

So I just started working and I know I should probably wear support hose.. But I cannot work in panty hose.. no way.. not gonna happen... Are the support socks good enough? I don't want to end up with vericose veins from working long 12 hour shifts....

Laurie

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

I loooooove my support hose. Wouldn't trade them for anything.

I have the thigh-high version since my leg pain was on my outer thighs. Love them.

I recommend them to anyone!

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Absolutely, wear support hose. I wear knee high Teds, wish I would have done it years ago! I wear socks over my Ted hose, so no one knows I have support hose on. Maybe if I would have worn these sooner I wouldn't have all the spider veins I have on my legs now.

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

I wear the white knee highs with butterflies made by, I think, NurseMates.

I tried wearing regular socks one day and my legs were killing me by the end of the day :(

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

wear support hose if they are comfortable for you. lots of people swear by them. they make my legs hurt like crazy, though, so i don't wear them. i can't be the only person who can't stand support hose!

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Excellent question!!! I bought two pairs of support hose, will be trying them out next week. I figure better safe than sorry. I will definitely check out those white Nursemates, too. Starting clinical on 2-15, and have a few spider veins already.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

TEDs have graduated support so they are not supposed to be uncomfortable. I haven't tried them yet. I use "suppsocks" which is a brand of support socks, knee high length. They're very good. Some of mine are 3 years old and I still get decent support from them.

The nursemates support hose, I bought in knee high length and threw both pairs away at the end of one shift. During the shift I made little cuts in the band at the top of the things to try and make the pain stop... that didn't work so I wound up going home with no socks on, hose in a bag in my pocket. Nasty things, I would have gotten the same result tying a tourniquet around each knee.

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I have had good luck with Diabetic socks with light support, I tried support hose but there too warm.. Also when I took them off at night it was too painful. I came to nursing with veicose legs already.

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Can anyone tell me where to get support knee hi stockings from. I am a full figure nurse with naturally very large legs, (calves and ankles). I work 12 hour shifts and reallyneed the support , but the panty hose are entirely too warm. I am having problems finding knee hi stockings that are large enough. Please send any websites or suggestions. It would be greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in Staff nurse.

Darlin', I've had spider veins on my outer thighs since I was 14 and my mom swore it was from the panty girdle I wore to hold up my stockings. This was pre-pantyhose times. I'm in my fifties now and there's only a few more added.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

My legs are ugly, probably a combo of genetics and the fact that I have always worked long hours on my feet, sigh. You couldn't pay me enough to wear any kind of panty hose but I love my TED knee highs and like others wrote I wear ankle socks over them.

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I loooooove my support hose. Wouldn't trade them for anything.

I have the thigh-high version since my leg pain was on my outer thighs. Love them.

I recommend them to anyone!

/off topic

Marie, I have a cat that looks just like your avatar!

I had to colour in his pupils. Darn flash.

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