Three tips to prevent deep vein thrombosis
Get moving, drink plenty of water, and wear compression stockings
Moving, drinking more water and wearing elastic stockings (also known as “anti-thrombotic stockings”) are the three recommendations Dr. Chen Xudong and Dr. Zhu Yuefeng unanimously recommend to prevent deep vein thrombosis.
”Move more to help blood flow back; drink more water to reduce the viscosity of blood; and wear elastic stockings to promote blood flow back to the heart from the veins of the lower extremities with external force.” Dr. Chen Xudong said that blood flowing in the veins is like water flowing in a river. The river has sediment, the blood has blood cells; the river has a dam to intercept, the blood also has a valve control switch, the main role of elastic stockings is to make the function of the venous valve normal under the action of external force, to reduce the formation of venous stasis in the lower limbs.
When she was six or seven months pregnant
The vascular surgeon gave his wife a pair of elastic stockings
Dr. Chen Xudong said that the surgeons in their hospital have a common habit, as long as an operation lasts more than 2 hours, everyone will put on elastic stockings before the operation and take them off after the operation. The reason is that standing for a long time will cause the calf muscles to be tense and unable to contract on their own, which will also affect the blood return flow. The World Health Organization has also warned that not exercising for four consecutive hours increases the risk of venous thrombosis.
”It is also best to wear elastic socks when taking long bus rides and international flights.” Dr. Zhu Yuefeng said that every time he goes abroad for a meeting and takes a long-distance flight, elastic socks are one of his necessary luggage, which he puts on before getting on the plane and takes off after getting off. In addition, he likes to pick the aisle position to sit, although the window position can enjoy the scenery, but the space is small, easy to induce deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities, that is, “economy class syndrome”, compared to the spacious position of the aisle, sitting inside the people go to the toilet in and out, will also force themselves to move their legs.
As a vascular surgeon, Dr. Zhu is also very sensitive to the vascular problems of his family. When his wife was six or seven months pregnant, he made a special trip to give her a pair of elastic stockings and encouraged her to move properly. He said, first, to prevent blood clots and venous stasis, and second, to eliminate the swelling of her legs in the second trimester and make her more comfortable.
10 questions about compression stockings
What kind of socks are compression stockings? Who needs to wear them? Let’s listen to Dr. Chen Xudong and Dr. Zhu Yuefeng’s advice on how to wear them.
1.What are compression stockings?
It belongs to the category of medical equipment (the lot number can be found on the webpage of the State Food and Drug Administration), and is not an ordinary elastic sock. This kind of socks contains elastic rubber, through the different pressure gradient from ankle to thigh (ankle pressure is the tightest, decreasing upward along the leg, thigh area pressure is the least and loosest), to promote the lower limb venous blood flow back to the heart, for varicose veins and the prevention and treatment of sequelae, is an important auxiliary means in the process of varicose vein treatment, also for the prevention and treatment of deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs.
2.What people need to wear elastic stockings?
It is more suitable for four groups of people.
Professional people who need to stand for a long time, such as doctors, nurses, teachers, traffic police, salesmen.
The occupational groups that need to be sedentary, such as office clerks, professional drivers, white-collar workers, and those who need to travel by air frequently.
Pregnant women, overly obese patients with increased abdominal pressure prone to increased venous pressure in the lower limbs
Patients with major surgery, patients with malignant tumor, patients with hemiplegia who are bedridden for a long time and other people at high risk of deep vein thrombosis.
3.How to choose a pair of elastic stockings suitable for you?
Before choosing elastic socks, you need to measure three values: the diameter of the ankle, the maximum diameter of the calf (the thickest part of the calf belly), and the length of the leg, and then choose the corresponding size according to this size. Otherwise, they are too small and uncomfortable to strangle; too big and ineffective.
Elastic stockings are divided into 1-4 levels (or low, medium and high levels) according to the pressure gradient. Among them, grade 1 (low grade) is suitable for high-risk groups, such as flight attendants, teachers, health care workers, and those who take long-distance flights. The main function is to reduce the heaviness of the legs, relieve the degree of edema, and reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Dr. Chen Xudong and Dr. Zhu Yuefeng use this level of compression stockings.
Level 2 (intermediate) is used for the treatment of simple varicose veins, including varicose veins during pregnancy combined with edema, etc.; Level 3-4 (advanced) is mainly used for the treatment of post-thrombotic syndrome, etc.
If you can’t tell which one you should choose, it is recommended to consult a vascular surgeon at the hospital.
4.How to wear elastic stockings?
There are three types of medical elastic stockings depending on their length: the shortest ones to the calf, about 20 or so centimeters long; the mid-calf ones, which can be worn up to the thigh; and the longest ones are pantyhose elastic pants, like women’s pantyhose. Theoretically, the best effect of pantyhose to prevent venous thrombosis, but because of the tight strangulation, many people, especially men, will not adapt, so if only as a preventive health care, buy the shortest kind, that is, to the calf can be, Dr. Zhu Yuefeng himself wears this kind; mid-thigh socks have a disadvantage, easy to slide down when activity.
5.Will the elastic socks be worn all day long and make the blood vessels unstable?
No. In principle, elastic stockings are only needed during the day when the legs are standing or sitting still. In other words, you can wear elastic socks like ordinary socks, put them on in the morning and take them off in the evening. They cannot be worn 24 hours a day, otherwise they are not good for the skin and can easily cause itching and rashes.
If you take a long-distance bus or international flight, then you can put them on before you get on the bus or board the plane, and take them off after you get off the bus or get off the plane.
6.Who is not suitable to wear elastic socks?
Patients with atherosclerotic occlusive disease of the lower limbs cannot wear elastic stockings, otherwise they may aggravate the symptoms of lower limb ischemia, which may lead to serious ischemic necrosis of the limbs; patients with acute inflammation of the skin or active ulcers, etc., wearing elastic stockings may aggravate the condition.
7.Does the elastic stocking have an expiration date?
Because elastic stockings contain rubber, which is prone to aging and decreasing the elasticity gradient, it is recommended to replace one pair in half a year, regardless of the frequency of wear, with the longest not exceeding one year.
8.Can I wash the elastic socks?
Since they are socks, they should be washed with neutral detergent in warm water, not wrung out, and the rubber inside will be broken. In addition, natural shade dry, do not expose to the sun, the sun will age the rubber, affecting the life of the elastic socks.
9.Can elastic socks slim my legs?
No. Elastic stockings can promote the return of blood and lymphatic fluid to the leg veins, and the fluid retention between the tissues is reduced, so the calves will look thinner temporarily. This is because the elastic socks can not reduce the volume of the calf tissue, and there is no other magical function such as burning fat, so do not expect to lose weight and thin legs through elastic socks.
10.Can I use the leg brace for sports as an elastic stocking?
The main function of the leg brace is to protect the knee joint by increasing the stability of the joint, and it has no elastic gradient, so it cannot be used as an elastic sock.