If you’re a diabetic patient, you might be fully aware of the swelling caused in your legs and you would always want to prevent hurting your feet. Whether it's extreme cold or hot summer days when you require socks under your office or running shoes it’s crucial to understand the difference between diabetic and compression socks. Taking a quick glance one might not spot any difference between compression socks and diabetic socks but if you’re a person suffering from diabetes it is essential to know which socks would work best for you in addition to providing you with the utmost care.
Why is it important for diabetic patients to safeguard their feet?
Research suggests that 38.4 million Americans grapple with the challenges posed by diabetes on a daily basis. Out of this almost eight million Americans remain undiagnosed and 97 million people are prediabetic. There has been an increase of almost 80% in lower limb amputation, research suggests that this surge is due to diabetic patients with high insulin intake. As diabetes poses the danger of damaging the blood vessels which results in swelling, impacting the circulation of blood, and many other infections it is crucial to take excessive care of diabetic patients' feet and legs as compared to non-diabetic.
American Diabetes Association states that negligible flow of blood in the feet of diabetic patients would lead to the following infections:
- Ulcers: severe infections caused and can also lead to the loss of limbs.
- Neuropathy: Prone to alteration of foot shape due to nerve damage.
- Calluses: If not taken proper care this can change into ulcers.
You might feel overwhelmed by reading all this information but we’re here to assure you that nothing should be a hindrance to achieving goals in your life and living a happy and purposeful life if you’re a diabetic patient. However, we do recommend visiting a healthcare professional to analyze your feet every year.
Usage of diabetic socks:
These socks are specially designed bearing in mind the shape of your feet along with the comfort and padding provided. There are fewer seams and no tight elastic in most diabetic socks as compared to traditional socks. With this, it's time to bid farewell to the fear of material gathering near the heel or around the toe.
Advantages of wearing Diabetic socks:
Blood flow:
We know how badly blood circulation is affected due to diabetes. One great advantage of wearing diabetic socks is that they help improve blood flow as it evade stiffness near the ankle and legs. Less restrictive fit offered by these types of socks encourages efficient blood supply along with sustainability and ease thereby minimizing the danger of infections caused as a result of poor blood circulation.
Minimizing dangers of foot infections or complications:
The less restrictive fit offered by these types of socks applies low pressure on the feet and encourages efficient blood supply along with sustainability and ease thereby minimizing the danger of infections, shoe bites, or foot sores.
Nerve damage caused by diabetes is a huge concern for patients. Patients have reported feeling numb and losing control of their feet, hands, and legs. According to research conducted more than 50% of diabetic patients suffer from this nerve problem. However, wearing diabetic socks will help you in minimizing the numbness and pain caused by nerve damage and will additionally safeguard your feet from infections and sores. Kudos to their extra layering and less use of seams by which there is no material gathering near the heel or around the toe. Moreover, since they are crafted by carefully selecting moisture-wicking material they have the ability to keep the feet dry thereby reducing the risk of blisters or fungal infections.
Compression socks:
These socks are worn to get rid of the pain caused by extremities using tight elastics. They assist in circulating blood back to the heart. When compared diabetic ankle socks and compression socks are very much alike except some compression socks have bands going all the way to the knees from the ankles. These bands would provide discomfort and resistance in the blood flow for diabetic patients. Furthermore, some compression socks lack extra padding which would cause blisters and infections in diabetic patients during physical activities or even a walk.
Compression socks are worn by people going through the following issues:
Varicose Veins:
You might notice some people having veins that are too apparent and seem enlarged. This is due to varicose veins as they circulate blood in the opposite direction. Wearing compression socks can help reduce the pain.
Swelling in the legs:
Swelling in the legs can be caused by numerous reasons. Sometimes by standing or sitting for too long, other times by improper circulation of blood in the legs or issues regarding lymphatic system. Apart from these reasons pregnant women also experience the same swelling because of hormonal changes or extra blood in the body. Other reasons may be heart or kidney issues. However, all of this can be minimized by wearing compression stockings. They minimize the pressure applied on the veins and ensure better circulation of blood thereby assisting in ceasing the fluid from building up in the leg tissues.
Diabetic socks vs Compression socks:
When differentiating between diabetic and compression socks there are some factors that should be kept in mind.
Stretchiness and looser fit are the core features of diabetic socks to encourage a better flow of blood. They are crafted by carefully selecting materials such as bamboo, polyester, lycra, and cotton and additional padding in order to give protection to the heel and the toes. Moreover, since they are crafted by carefully selecting moisture-wicking material they have the ability to keep the feet dry thereby reducing the risk of blisters or fungal infections. The less restrictive fit offered by these types of socks applies low pressure on the feet and encourages efficient blood supply along with sustainability and ease thereby minimizing the danger of infections, shoe bites, or foot sores.
On the contrary, compression socks are worn to apply pressure in order to minimize the pain and affect the overall circulation. Compression socks have bands going all the way to the knees from the ankle socks providing graduated compression. The higher they go the tighter they become promoting blood flowing back to the heart. They are worn by people suffering from conditions like deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins, and other leg swelling issues. However, this would provide discomfort and resistance in the blood flow for diabetic patients.