Firm 20-30 mmHg graduated compression, knee high. Tightest at the ankle, easing toward the knee. That gradient is the whole mechanism — it works with the muscle in your calf to push blood back toward the heart rather than letting it settle in your lower leg.
Who reaches for this level
- Long flights — sitting still for hours is when blood pools worst
- Standing shifts — nurses, teachers, kitchen and retail staff, twelve hours on hard floors
- Shin splints and running recovery
- Visible varicose veins and swelling that has not gone down by morning
How to wear them
Put them on first thing, before your legs have had a chance to swell. Take them off at night unless you have been told otherwise. They should feel firm and supportive, never numbing.
Before you buy
If you are diabetic, have peripheral arterial disease, or any loss of sensation in your feet, speak to your doctor first. Firm compression is not right for every leg, and on poor arterial circulation it can do harm. If you only get mild end-of-day heaviness, 15-20 mmHg may suit you better than this.