swollen ankle - compression stocking - questions

[joesxm3]

My 92 year old mother has one ankle swelling. Her doctor diagnosed vein insufficiency and prescribed compression stockings. We got the lowest compression 12-18 mm hg, knee high stockings.

I went there and put them on her the first two mornings. She wore them 6-8 hours per day and things seemed fine.

The third day, her husband put them on for her and she wore them 12 hours. As far as I know he put them on properly and there were no double layer compression fabric areas and they were smooth. They say they looked just like when I put them on.

My mother experienced no pain or numbness and her swelling seemed to be controlled. However, when she took them off at 9 pm the third day, she said that the veins on her mid-calf to foot were popping out or bulging. The veins returned to normal relatively quickly.

I asked a retired nurse and a retired health aide at church this morning and they said that it was normal for veins to be prominent after taking the stocking off of an old person.

I sent a question to her doctor, but found he is on vacation and the doctor covering replied that vericose veins can occur with vein insufficiency and that we should resume using the compression stockings. However, I don't feel that she answered my question from the point of view that the veins were not bulging prior to the compression stocking, just the ankle swelling.

Do any of you have experience putting compression stockings on old people that you cared for? Is it normal to have some days where the veins are sticking out when you remove the stocking?

Thanks.

 

[Moemg]

Do any of you have experience putting compression stockings on old people that you cared for? Is it normal to have some days where the veins are sticking out when you remove the stocking?

Thanks.

Absolutely normal ! Buy your mother a sock aid it makes putting on compression socks so easy .They sell them on amazon under sock aids . You just put the sock on the plastic piece ,insert your leg and pull . Th sock will go on easily .Is your Mother also elevating her legs ? That would help .

 

[donheff]

Absolutely normal ! Buy your mother a sock aid it makes putting on compression socks so easy .They sell them on amazon under sock aids . You just put the sock on the plastic piece ,insert your leg and pull . Th sock will go on easily .Is your Mother also elevating her legs ? That would help .

+1 I used one of those when I broke my hip - excellent. Google knee and hip kit at Amazon - you might as well get the long shoehorn and picker-uppers as well.

 

[joesxm3]

Thanks for the help.

I saw a thing called Stockeez on Amazon that seems to be a sock aid for compression stockings.

Is the main benefit of these aids in not requiring bending over, or do they assist with stretching the compression stocking?

My mother has lost most of her muscle mass, so I doubt she can stretch the stocking. My stepfather was barely able to stretch the stocking when it was folded over at the heel pocket point. He ended up just inching it up from her toes with the stocking fully open.

I guess my questions are: 1) does it require a lot of strength to put the stocking on the device to start?; and 2) how much strength does it require to pull the handle up?

Also, I am wondering if the compression stocking is just addressing the symptom of ankle swelling by increasing the pressure in the lower veins, or is it also providing some therapeutic value such as improving circulation or slowing the rate of further degradation?

At this point my mother is pushing back on wearing the stocking and claiming that her foot has stopped swelling. Could it be that wearing the stocking for three days has caused some temporary improvement to reduce the swelling when not using the stocking? Or just random chance that it stopped swelling for a few days.

Thanks. I appreciate the help.

Joe

 

[Moemg]

The sock aid makes it simple to put on compression socks . My Mom used one at 92 after a total knee replacement . The compression is to improve the circulation byt your Mother should also be elevating her legs to get an optimal effect .


https://www.amazon.com/Vive-Sock-Ai...ords=sock+aid&qid=1564494194&s=gateway&sr=8-5

 

[joesxm3]

Thanks again.

I ordered a sock aid device, slightly different from the one you listed. It should arrive on Thursday.

I also ordered a pair of diabetic shoes with an adjustable velcro closure. I hope they fit. I figure it is important to make sure she has something stable on her feet when walking. Last trip out of the house she wore some horrible sandals and almost twisted her ankle.

 

[socaldonnan]

My husband needs to wear compression socks and thought he uses the sock aid, he also found using rubber gloves- the kind you would use handling food - made rolling the socks up his legs very easy and if an adjustment is needed it’s easy to take care of.

 

[Boho]

My father was unable to use two sock aids that he tried for compression stockings but I don't recall whether they were the lowest compression. They were knee-high stockings. In addition, after a few hours a painful indentation would often form, like a little overlap in the middle of the stocking, even after I put them on perfectly. With him being unable to take them off it created a dangerous situation. He once tried getting them off and he just created several folds which we were warned about because the compression increases at each fold.

When we went to get his first pair we went to a large full-service type pharmacy where the owner showed us how to put them on and gave us other information. He told us a story about a man trying to put them on for his wife and he couldn't. The stockings were overlapped and hurting her and he tried cutting them off. He ended up calling 911. The owner who told this story blamed the couple for not doing it correctly ("their first mistake was...their second mistake was...their third mistake was...") but I can tell you that it's not always easy. It can hurt the wearer just putting them on properly for him.

You can report issues such as the above to https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch

"Use the MedWatch form to report adverse events that you observe or suspect for human medical products,including serious drug side effects, product use/medication error, product quality problems, and therapeutic failures..."

I don't know anything about bulging veins.

 

[joesxm3]

Well, I have been holding off hoping to report success with the sock aids etc., but it turns out that my mother can't begin to deal with them and my stepfather might be able to get the stock onto the sleeve of the device, but it would take him a massive amount of effort and 10 or 15 minutes. He just does not have the hand strength to stretch or push the stocking on.

I bought both the one that Moemg recommended and another more expensive one. I was able to return the more expensive one for a full refund, but I did not bother with the less expensive one.

I was just about ready to give up, when my stepfather suggested a way that he thought he could do it. Basically he slips the stocking on without rolling or folding it. He is able to get it up to the heel, then inch it up little by little. They seem to be able to get them on this way.

When my mother wears the stocking, the swelling seems to be greatly reduced. She says that she likes the feel of the stockings since it gives her more support in her legs. So far she seems to be putting them on about 75% of the time.

I also bought some shoes that are sort of stretch with a velcro flap instead of laces. These are a little large for her, but fit nicely even if the foot is swollen.

So, I guess things are more or less under control now.

Thanks to everyone for the help.

Joe

 

[Boho]

Basically he slips the stocking on without rolling or folding it. He is able to get it up to the heel, then inch it up little by little. They seem to be able to get them on this way.

They make open toe compression stockings that could be used with stocking slip to make it easier:

JOBST® Stocking Slips | JOBST USA

JOBST® Stocking Slips

For use with open toe styles only. JOBST Stocking Slips help the stocking slide smoothly onto the foot by reducing friction between the patient's skin and the compression stocking.

You put on the slip then you put on the stocking then you remove the slip through the open toe of the stocking.

They also make compression stockings with zippers.

 

[socaldonnan]

Well, I have been holding off hoping to report success with the sock aids etc., but it turns out that my mother can't begin to deal with them and my stepfather might be able to get the stock onto the sleeve of the device, but it would take him a massive amount of effort and 10 or 15 minutes. He just does not have the hand strength to stretch or push the stocking on.



I bought both the one that Moemg recommended and another more expensive one. I was able to return the more expensive one for a full refund, but I did not bother with the less expensive one.



I was just about ready to give up, when my stepfather suggested a way that he thought he could do it. Basically he slips the stocking on without rolling or folding it. He is able to get it up to the heel, then inch it up little by little. They seem to be able to get them on this way.



When my mother wears the stocking, the swelling seems to be greatly reduced. She says that she likes the feel of the stockings since it gives her more support in her legs. So far she seems to be putting them on about 75% of the time.



I also bought some shoes that are sort of stretch with a velcro flap instead of laces. These are a little large for her, but fit nicely even if the foot is swollen.



So, I guess things are more or less under control now.



Thanks to everyone for the help.



Joe

My husband uses Nitrile disposal gloves 5mil thickness to roll up his compression socks. Finger tips are textured. Since he started using the gloves, he’s been able to roll up the socks much easier.