Compression socks are meant to feel firm. If they felt like normal socks they would not be doing anything. But there is a line between firm and wrong, and it is worth knowing where it is.
Normal
- A snug, steady squeeze that is strongest at the ankle and eases as it goes up your calf. That gradient is the whole mechanism.
- Being aware of them for the first day or two.
- Some faint marking where the cuff sits, fading within an hour of taking them off.
- Needing a bit of effort to get them on, especially before you have learned to roll rather than pull.
Not normal
- Numbness, pins and needles, or toes changing colour.
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Pain, as opposed to pressure.
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A tight ring behind the knee where the cuff bites into the widest part of the calf.
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Deep welts or indentations still visible an hour later.
- Broken or irritated skin.
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More ankle swelling at the end of the day than on a day without them.
Any of those means take them off and get in touch. Do not push through it.
Two things to try first
Check they are on properly
A sock that has not been rolled up smoothly bunches, and a bunched sock creates a pressure band exactly where you do not want one. Take them off, roll them back on properly, and smooth out every wrinkle. This fixes it surprisingly often.
Shorten day one
Four hours rather than twelve. Build up over the first week.
Then check the size
If it is still uncomfortable, it is likely the wrong size, and in pregnancy that usually means going up. Email info@lumabelly.com with your calf measurement and we will send the other size at no cost.
How to measure your calf
