My stockings are falling off

There are many people who report that their stockings fall or slide. In this post I present the probable causes of this problem and possible solutions to it.

People have very variable aspects so the shape of our bodies is not standard. However, compression stockings generally come with only one shape per model. While these socks are stretchy and fit a range of the population, they won’t do perfectly for all of us.

Stockings are generally best suited to legs that slowly and evenly increase in thickness as they rise from the ankle to the thighs. However, it is clear that there are people with very thin limbs and others with very thick thighs in whom adaptation can be difficult. In both cases the stockings tend to slide off.

There is a third case that we must also consider and it happens with stockings that lack gripping elements so they exert little friction force and therefore slide during use.

Let’s look at each of these problems and consider the possible solutions.

Problems causing stockings to drop

Very thin people

The effectiveness of therapeutic stockings depends on the compression offered. A person with loose stockings would not be complying with the pressure scheme that was indicated so he must replace them by acquiring properly-sized stockings, for this I invite you to read our article on how to know your compression stockings size?).

It can also happen that those who buy stockings that fit well may lose weight after their purchase, thus the stockings start to fit loosely, in which case they should also be replaced by other corresponding stockings with the new size if we want to obtain the desired effect.

People with thick limbs

In this case, it is also essential to use the appropriate compression. A person with thick thighs, with a much larger diameter above than below, tends to have these in a conical shape, making it easier for the stockings to move downwards, tending to curl up. If this happens, a kind of tourniquet could be generated that exerts an exaggerated local pressure and thus lead to the opposite effect to that desired: instead of improving the venous return, they hinder it!

Alarmingly, I have observed this problem in many hospitalized patients who are fitted with stockings that should perform anti-embolic functions and these wrap themselves on their thighs instead. Due to their very condition, many of these patients have limitations to move that predispose to venous blood stasis and could see their thrombotic risk increased if blood flow is obstructed by this kind of tourniquet. Do not forget in case of caring for a hospitalized patient to make sure that the compression stockings are not lowered or rolled up during the periods that they should be worn.

Stockings without fasteners

There are stockings made to be quite smooth and without elements that facilitate their superior support by removing the friction force that keeps them affixed, these can tend to drop when we walk or when the legs are shaped in such a way that they increase in thickness across their length.

Many of the problems that cause stockings to slide come from lack of information.

It is important that patients are properly examined, it is easy to anticipate the problems we can have just by observing the shape of the patient’s legs, their weight problems, any issues they may have with walking and the desired quality of the product according to budget. It is always important that patients are informed of this.

Solutions to stocking slipperiness

Let’s look at the possible solutions to these problems:

• Some solutions are part of the same design of the stockings such as: Using a pantyhose or buying stockings with bands that hold them in place.
• Other solutions are external to the stockings such as the use of garters or substances that increase the adherence of the stocking to the skin.

I will show you examples of each one of them and for your convenience you can go to some of their best known distributors by clicking on them.

Wearing Pantyhose or Chaps

These are stockings with a substantially longer structure, reaching to cover part or all of the waist. They are ideal for patients with good autonomy who find it easy to put the stockings on and off unassisted, who do not go to the bathroom very often and who do not need very high compression, although this is not a contraindication to acquire them. They really fit in very well with most people.

The pantyhose are for both legs using the same compression on both, while the chaps stockings are for individual legs, keeping the right leg stocking and the left leg stocking as separate independent units, let’s see two great examples:

Garters or garter belt

Here are some models of garter belts to consider:

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Additional support equipment

Here are some devices that may be of interest to further reduce the problem of slippage of the stockings: