If you had asked me a few years ago if I would use compression socks, the answer would more than likely have been no. During my third year clerkships I spent most of my time on my feet. From standing up in the OR or running up and down the stairs, by the end of the day my feet would be swollen, hurting, and my back was KILLING me. I had no idea how I would survive residency. In the wonderful world of #girlmedtwitter, compression socks are life. So in preparation for my 4th year, I started looking into owning a pair. After hours and hours of research I found Go2Socks on Amazon and I decided to take a leap of faith.
Discovering Go2Socks
Little confession on why it was so hard to find a good buy, I am allergic to wool. If you’ve ever looked into compression socks, you know the majority are composed of merino wool. Now you see my problem. It wasn’t until I was looking into this specific brand that I finally found compression socks made from 100% cotton with great reviews. It was then that I put my fears aside and purchased my first pair. I had them for a couple of months and then finally got a chance to wear them. It was love at first wear. Seriously.
The first time I wore them was for a full day of surgery. First thing I noticed was that my back pain was minimal at the end of the day. Second my feet were not swollen nor horribly painful. After this day I kept wearing them for OR days as well as long days on Labor and Delivery. Every single time the result was the same. For this reason, when residency started I began wearing them every day. I also began purchasing several more pairs to expand my collection.
All of the colors!
At this time, I own 6 pairs. What I love the most is the patterns they offer. Go2Socks has a variety of patterns for their socks. The best ones are the striped ones. They come in a variety of patterns from two toned to multicolored, there is a pair for everyone! I own the multicolored ones as well as the Cheshire cat ones. They also have a broad range of patterns. The patterns are very pretty and playful but for some of them they are textured on the inside and they will mark after wearing them all day. Personally, I do not mind this, it just means they are working appropriately. To be honest, whenever I wear them it boosts my mood and makes me feel unique in the world of ill-fitting hospital scrubs.
In healthcare we often wear scrubs. If you can wear your own scrubs it’s easy to find any number of unique, comfortable scrubs out there. But, that’s a topic for another day. When you are forced to wear hospital scrubs, breaking the monotony can do you wonders! Which bring me to my next point. If you dare express yourself in whatever you do, socks are a way to embrace individuality. In a previous post I talked about how to use your shoes to express yourself. I have also shared how I use statement handbags in a classic style, appropriate for work too. I am now showing you yet another way to embrace your own style and personality in the workplace. Not only can socks they be a style piece, they are good for your body.
The benefits
Compression socks work by, well, compression your legs. They improve blood flow throughout your whole leg and help decrease swelling. In addition, they help to decrease aching and heaviness in your legs and help prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. Because of all of these benefits they are especially helpful in people who have varicose veins or lymphatic drainage impairment. So, who would benefit from wearing compression socks? Anyone who has a medical condition that hinders circulation in their legs. But, also anyone who works either standing up all day or sitting down all day.
In healthcare we spend a lot of time doing both from standing all day, walking everywhere, or sitting down and charting for hours. So it is fairly obvious why it is so beneficial as a resident in a surgical specialty to wear compression socks. For me, they were life changing and I look forward to expanding my collection of compression socks. I currently have a few in my wish list, my next pair will more than likely be the baby blue and pink striped ones.
The Cons
The only CON to these socks is the price. They are definitely on the pricier side but for the quality that you get, AND not being made from WOOL, they are absolutely worth it in my book. That’s it, literally! TO offset this, they offer twin packs on Amazon that you can buy and save a few dollars off your purchase! This is how I have done it and I will continue to do this. Sooo there you have it!
What is your favorite brand of compression socks? Let me know in the comments below so I can find other amazing compression socks to try!
Thanks for reading,
XO
Jani
*Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post. Some links are affiliate links which means for every click or purchase through these links I get a small commission, this does not influence the price you pay for any item at all, it just helps support and produce content for this blog. Full disclosure statement HERE
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