Socks Demystified – Socks That Will Keep Healthy Feet Healthy

Feb 25th, 2010 by john | Be The First To Comment

Healthy SocksSocks have come a long way since their early days.  Imagine wearing animal skins tied around your ankles, or slipping into socks made out of matted animal hair.  Believe it or not, that’s what socks were made out of back in ancient times.  With the evolution of footwear and a better understanding of our feet, socks have been re-designed in various ways to offer better protection, aid in preventing common foot problems, and simply provide more comfort and warmth.

Nowadays socks have evolved to include moisture wicking features, seamless toe designs, compression fitting styles, and extra padded sections to protect the fat pads of feet.  They’re manufactured with numerous types of fabrics, yarns, and materials; plus they come in various styles, sizes, lengths, and colors.  There’s really no big mystery to socks.  All you have to do is a little bit of research to find which types of socks are best suited for you; because at the end of the day, it’s all about keeping your healthy feet healthy.  So to help demystify socks, HealthyFeetStore.com has listed some recommendations below.  Of course, if you’re a diabetic or have edema, or are suffering from other foot problems, we highly recommend consulting with a health professional to determine which types of socks you should wear.

Diabetic Socks
Not only do diabetics have to make sure they wear proper diabetic shoes, they also have to pay attention to the types of socks they wear.  Socks made out of 100% cotton are a definitely not recommended because they tend to be rough around the seams, which could cause friction and irritation.  They also absorb moisture but not wick it away, which can be a breeding ground for bacterial and fungi growth;jobst-antibacterial-diabetic-sock_140 and unfortunately this could lead to other foot problems such as athlete’s foot and bad foot odor.  Tight socks are also not recommended to wear because they can cut off circulation to the feet and as a result, healing from injuries can take a lot longer due to the lack of blood flow.  HealthyFeetStore.com recommends Pressurelite socks and Jobst diabetic socks.  Pressurelite offers socks with seamless designs, pressure relieving socks, and extra-large sized socks for enlarged feet.  These socks are padded along high pressure areas, have anti-bacterial fibers to wick moisture away, and are non restrictive.  Jobst socks present similar features.  They’re non-irritating, are made with moisture wicking fibers, and have an antibacterial finish to reduce the risk of infection and odor.

Compression Socks and Hosiery for Edema
Those suffering from swollen feet caused by edema or diabetes should wear compression socks or stockings.  Standing or sitting for long periods of time such as in airplane flights and car rides can also cause these conditions to flare up.  Compression therapy improves valve functioning and reduces symptoms when the compression is graduated, or when the pressure is greatest at the ankle and reduced gradually up the leg.  Compression socks and hosiery come in various compression ranges: Light 9-12 mm HG, activa-womens-knee-high-firmLight to Moderate 15-20 mm HG, Moderate 20-30 mm HG, and Firm for heavy support.  HealthyFeetStore.com recommends the following: Jobst compression socksActiva compression socks, and Aetrex compression socks.  Jobst socks come in styles for pregnant women, are lightweight and breathable, are made from high tenacity nylon yarns, and have reinforced heel and toe designs.  Acitva socks come in a variety of fashionable styles, are ideal for frequent flyers to prevent blood clots and embolism formation, and relieve leg fatigue.  Aetrex socks not only offer compression benefits, but also remove 99.9% of bacteria, fungi, and odor in socks.

Orthopedic Socks

When it comes to selecting socks, try to pay attention to what they offer.  Sure one could go to the local department store and buy the cheapest pair of socks available, but is that really the smart thing to do?  Chances are one will experience common foot problems such as athlete’s foot and bad foot odor, or feet can get irritated because of the poor materials used when manufacturing the socks.  Cheaply made socks can also be very uncomfortable and bulge up in unwanted places within the shoe causing pain and blisters.  To avoid this from happening, HealthyFeetStore.com recommends Aetrex socks and Thorlos socksAetrex socks are made with Copper Sole Technology™ to remove 99.9% of bacteria, fungi, and odor in socks.  They also feature Moisture Guard™ to keep feet dry by wicking moisture away, have extra cushioning from heel to toe, and have elasticized arch aetrex-athletic-copper-socks-low-cutsupport.  Thorlos socks come with similar features with the exception that they offer extra cushioning along the bottom of the socks to prevent fat pad deterioration.  They’re also made with various synthetic fibers such as THOR•LON® Acrylic, Thermolite®, Coolmax®, and Nylon.  These fibers offer protection from blisters, maintain resiliency, wick away moister, and keep feet cooler.

Don’t settle for cheaply made socks because in the long run, they could cause more harm than good.  Remember, the right type of socks can play an important role in gaining and maintaining healthy feet; and by shopping at HealthyFeetStore.com, you’ll find the highest quality made socks to keep your healthy feet healthy.

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