Compression & Wound Care · Modern Answers
How to Put On Compression Stockings and Get a Proper Fit
· 6 min read
At a glance. Morning, before you get up, is the best time to put stockings on, while swelling is lowest. The fit should be tight, with pressure strongest at the ankle and lighter toward the top. If you are not sure about size or fit, ask a fitter or your clinician. If something feels wrong, see If something does not feel right.
Jump to: Get help right away · Steps · Fit · Sizing · Taking them off · If something does not feel right · Care · FAQ
When to get help right away
Some symptoms can mean a blood clot. Get medical help.
In one leg: swelling, pain or tenderness, warmth, or redness or discoloration. See a doctor as soon as possible. About half of people with a leg clot have no symptoms.
Call 911 immediately for: difficulty breathing, chest pain or discomfort that usually gets worse with a deep breath or cough, coughing up blood, a faster than normal or irregular heartbeat, or lightheadedness or fainting.
Before you start
Stockings vary in pressure and in length, from knee-high up to the thigh. Your clinician can tell you which type is right for you.
Check with a clinician before wearing compression if you have:
- Reduced feeling in your legs or feet, such as from neuropathy
- Peripheral artery disease, or leg artery bypass surgery
- Open wounds or ulcers, or very fragile skin
- Severe leg swelling
- A known allergy to the stocking material
- A leg size or shape that stops a stocking from fitting
How to put on compression stockings, step by step
- Pick your moment. Morning is best, before you get up, because swelling in your legs is lowest then.
- Turn the stocking inside out to the heel. Put your hand inside, grip the heel, and turn the stocking inside out as far as the heel.
- Seat your heel. Slide your foot in until your heel sits in the heel pocket.
- Check the heel, then pull up. Check that the heel is in the right place. Then ease the stocking up your leg, turning it right side out as you go, smoothly and without twisting or overstretching it. If it overstretches, push it back down to the ankle and pull it up again.
- Smooth it flat. When the top is in position, work out any creases so the fabric lies flat.
- Check the top. Once the stocking is on, do not fold, roll or turn the top band down. If extra material gathers at the top, ask your fitter to check how you are putting them on and whether the size is right.
Different styles. Open-toe, closed-toe, thigh-high and pantyhose stockings can have different instructions. Follow the instructions for your style, and ask your clinician or fitter to show you if you are unsure.
Tools that may help. Rubber kitchen gloves give you grip to adjust and smooth the fabric. A stocking donner, sold at medical supply stores and online, is a device that helps guide the stocking over your foot. Ask your clinician or fitter which aid and method suit you.
What a good fit feels like
- A tight fit around the leg, with pressure strongest at the ankle and lighter toward the top
- For knee-length stockings, the top sits about two finger-widths below the knee crease
- Lies flat, with no bunching or creases
- If something hurts or feels wrong, see If something does not feel right
These general checks cannot confirm that a stocking has the correct size or pressure for your medical needs. If it was prescribed, follow your clinician's fitting instructions.
Getting the right size
A medical equipment store can take measurements to help you find the right size. If you are not sure which size to choose, ask a fitter or your clinician.
Fitting at Medically Modern DME
- 161 E Main St, Mount Kisco, NY
- Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
- Walk-ins welcome, no appointment needed
- Home fitting visits available throughout New York State
- Our in-house fitter can take measurements
Check your coverage, or ask about fit
Our online form is for coverage: we check your benefits before an order. For help with sizing or a fitting, call or text (347) 817-1037. For symptoms, contact your clinician.
Check coverage Text (347) 817-1037 Call (347) 817-1037
Taking them off and how long to wear them
Follow your clinician's instructions, or your garment's instructions, on how many hours a day to wear them. Unless your clinician has told you otherwise, do not wear them to bed.
Ask your fitter or clinician to show you how to take them off, and whether a removal aid would help.
After you take them off, look at your skin, especially over the heels. If you see marks, blisters or color changes, stop wearing them and contact your clinician before you wear them again.
If something does not feel right
Uncomfortable? If the stockings are too uncomfortable to wear, contact your clinician or fitter. A different size or style may help. Check with your clinician before you stop wearing them altogether.
Warning signs. If you notice numbness, pins and needles, skin that turns cold, blue or purple, or pain, take the stockings off and contact your clinician.
Who to contact. Our store team can help with fit. For symptoms, contact your clinician. For the urgent signs in When to get help right away, get medical help.
Caring for your stockings
Wash them every day in mild soap and water, rinse, and let them dry away from direct heat. Do not tumble dry. A second pair lets you alternate. Let any lotion dry completely before you put stockings on.
Stockings lose compression over time. MedlinePlus recommends replacing them about every 3 to 6 months. Your garment's own instructions may differ, so check them and your clinician's advice.
Sources
- MedlinePlus, Compression stockings
- MedlinePlus, Pulmonary embolus (when to call 911)
- CDC, About Venous Thromboembolism (Blood Clots)
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS, Compression stockings
- Dorset County Hospital NHS, Advice for applying and wearing compression garments
- NICE NG89 (UK hospital guidance on anti-embolism stockings)
Ask us about your current benefits and your expected out-of-pocket cost. Benefit information is an estimate, not a guarantee of payment.