If you have undergone major surgery, you’ve likely been given compression garments to manage common post-surgical swelling. Sometimes, these garments are provided even before the surgery. The white stockings often prescribed are medical compression garments, known as TED Hose, and designed to prevent blood vessel complications. Despite their widespread use, confusion persists regarding the duration for which compression socks should be worn after surgery. This article aims to clarify how long to wear compression stockings after surgery.
What Are Compression Socks?
Compression socks are specialized stockings designed to apply pressure to the lower limbs and improve blood flow in these areas. Medically, compression socks are used to prevent and treat certain conditions, like varicose veins, edema, or deep vein thrombosis.
Compression socks are also highly recommended for a speedy post-surgery recovery. By wearing compression socks after surgery, you can improve blood circulation in your lower limbs while preventing any swelling that could lead to complications. Even though it is recommended to wear compression socks according to your doctor’s instructions, there’s no harm if you wear compression socks for as long as you are comfortable.
If you were unsure about how long to wear support stockings after surgery, then the answer is that you can wear them even for 24 hours a day. You only need to change these stockings daily to maintain cleanliness. If your surgical procedure is small and less invasive, you can recover faster, and that means you need less time to wear compression socks. As for how long to wear ted socks after major surgeries, like hip or knee surgeries that usually take longer to heal, the answer is that you need to wear compression socks longer after surgery. Remember to replace compression stockings regularly to ensure they remain effective and hygienic.
What Pressure of Compression Socks Should You Wear After Surgery?
Your recovery from a major surgical operation depends on many things, but the pressure of the compression socks you wear after surgery has an impact on the healing process. Surgical care teams recommend 20-30mmHg compression socks for anyone recovering from a major surgery. 20-30mmHg is medium compression pressure, which describes the level of therapeutic pressure the socks will apply on your legs. If you feel that the socks are ‘squeezing’ your legs a little too much, you can opt for lower-pressure stockings of 15-20mmHg. A higher pressure of 30-40mmHg is highly recommended when you experience blood circulation problems.
Contact Us for Your Compression Socks Needs
Compression socks are critical to healing after surgery, and it is also crucial to find the right pair that you will enjoy wearing. At Northside Medical Supply, your go-to source for compression wear in Atlanta, we stock compression socks for men and women. Contact us today, and let’s help you make the right choice.

