Pregnancy Related Low Back Pain - use of Support Stockings

Pregnancy-related Low Back Pain

By Darryl B. Sneag, AB; John A. Bendo, MD
ORTHOPEDICS 2007; 30:839

An enduring debate in pregnancy care is whether low back pain is an inevitable or perhaps even essential component of a healthy pregnancy. Some have suggested that low back pain may perform a functional role as a protective agent by focusing women’s attention on the physical stresses their bodies are undergoing, thereby making them more cautious during pregnancy. Regardless, diagnosis and treatment of low back pain present formidable challenges to patients and their health care providers.

In women with nocturnal pain, decreased time spent sleeping in the supine position may alleviate symptoms. Advising women to sleep on their side may reduce pressure on the vena cava and resolve pain that is possibly vascular in origin. Several apparati may also provide significant relief. A wedge-shaped pillow can support the gravid uterus and abdomen while lying on one’s side. Women using such a pillow reported less backache than women using a standard cushion.

In addition, stockings that promote venous return may reduce lower extremity edema and nocturnal low back pain.

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Vitamin K linked to fewer varicose veins, better vascular health

Vitamin K linked to fewer varicose veins, better vascular health

23/08/2007 - Inactivation of a vitamin K-dependent protein may contribute to the development of varicose veins, says a new study that highlights the role of supplementation for improving vascular health.

The study, published in the Journal of Vascular Research, indicates that inadequate levels of vitamin K may reduce the activity of the matrix GLA protein (MGP) to reduce vascular proliferation and mineralisation, thereby stopping the development of varicosis.

Varicose veins have an estimated prevalence of between five to 30 per cent in the adult population, with women three times more likely to develop varicose veins than men.

Leg exercises for spider veins

If you spent quite a bit of money to get rid of your spider veins the last thing you want is for them to come back. If you haven't got them yet - taking steps to prevent spider veins is important - especially if you think you could be vulnerable.

One thing that can definitely help is exercising your legs - especially the lower calf muscles. Exercising your legs helps improve circulation and stops blood pooling in the lower leg area - a definite no-no if you want to avoid vein problems.
Walking is great exercise for the lower leg area - either out in the open or on a treadmill especially with the incline level raised. Try to walk rather than take the car or the escalator or elevator wherever you can.

For a specific targeted exercise that you can do anytime at home - try calf raises, heel or tip-toe walking and foot rocking:

Calf raises: You need a stable, firm raised area - something like a low bench or aerobic step. Alternatively the first step on your stairs at home will do. Stand on the step with both feet so that your heels extend over the edge of the step. Make sure you are close to a wall or rail so you can hold on to balance if you need to. Then raise yourself up on your toes and lower your heels down below the step. Repeat 30-50 times. You should feel the stretch at the back of your calf mucles. Do the exercise at least once a day and ideally twice.

Tip-toe walking: When you're working around the house inside or out - go up on tip-toes to do your chores - vacuuming, putting dishes away, walking around the kitchen. You may feel a little stupid but who cares? Again you feel the exercise stretching the calf area.

Heel walking: Similar to the previous exercise but instead of going up on tip-toe you raise your toes off the ground and take the weight on your heels. This feels even more stupid but it's a great simple exercise for your calves.

Foot rocking: This is ideal to exercise your lower legs when you're sitting for long periods of

time. Raise your toes so that your heel is the only bit of your foot in contact with the floor. A bit like raising your heel over a pedal in the car or playing the piano. Then place the foot back down elevate the heel so your toes are in contact with the floor. Try to do this in one rocking movement with both feet at once.

When you get tired - give your legs a proper break.
Lie on the floor on your back with your legs and feet raised up against a wall and a pillow under your hips for comfort. Rest this way for about five minutes and gravity will help to push the blood back to the heart. Remember it's gravity you're up against in dealing with spider veins.
The great thing about doing these exercises - not only do they help prevent spider veins - you get shapely, well-defined legs too!

Diabetic Foot Care for Summer

Feet first: Diabetics need to keep toes under wraps during summer

Jane Oppermann


Just when we think it's OK to kick back and relax, people with diabetes enter their summer season of high alert. Forget the flip-flops, walking barefoot in the grass or on a sandy beach or even stretching out in the sun for a snooze. If you're diabetic, you know summer is the time to be safety savvy.
"Diabetics are not entitled to the luxury of walking barefoot in wet grass or walking barefoot anywhere, I'm sorry to say," said Donald J. Arenson, a podiatrist with offices in Elk Grove Village and Elmhurst. "An insect bite that would puncture the foot or stepping on a sharp object can lead to infection that can quickly become out of control."

There's a type 2 diabetes epidemic going on. Type 2 diabetes usually occurs later in life and accounts for about 90 percent to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of the disease, reported the National Institutes of Health. Nearly 21 percent of people age 60 or over in the U.S. have diabetes. Since 1990, the incidence of diabetes has increased by 5 percent each year, fueled by growing obesity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported at the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting last month in Chicago.

Nearly 60 percent of people with diabetes have neuropathy, or nerve damage to their feet, causing numbness or inability to feel pain. That means that many foot problems go undetected.
A sunburn, irritation from shells in the surf, a too-hot hot tub and even a pedicure can cause foot injuries that can lead to big problems.

"We remind our diabetic patients that they are cerebrally disconnected from their feet," Arenson said. "You have to substitute your other senses, namely your eyes and the eyes of your family. You have to inspect your feet every day."

Arenson tells of one patient, an attorney, who lost his law school class ring. The attorney was unaware the ring had fallen into his shoe until that night when he took his shoes off and found the ring had worn a hole in his foot.

Foot ulcers are the number one cause of most diabetic hospitalizations. Other diabetes-related foot and leg problems include conditions that everyone else battles: corns and calluses; dry, cracked skin; nail disorders; hammertoes and bunions; brittle bones; and blocked arteries in the calf.
But here's the rub - poor circulation and reduced blood flow make infections harder to fight and heal. The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for people without the disease.
With proper care, diabetic's feet can last a lifetime. Doctors say that nearly 50 percent of amputations might have been prevented with daily foot checks.

"We tell our patients they must treat their feet like fine china," Arenson said. "Doing a daily foot check has got to be almost a religion."

That means inspecting your feet carefully every day, looking for areas of redness, swelling or cracks. Check between your toes. Check socks for blood or fluid stains. Wash your feet daily in warm, not hot, soapy water. Moisturize the soles of the feet with unscented lotion immediately after bathing (scented lotions contain alcohol and can cause dryness.) Check shoes to make sure nothing is hiding in there. If your feet are cold, don't use a hot water bottle or heating pad to warm them - wear socks instead.
Remember, in hot weather, remain on high alert: Don't wear sandals or flip-flops and never, ever go barefoot. It's one way to save your feet and stay a step ahead of this disease.

Will Your Medical Insurance Pay for Support Hose?

Helpful Tips for Successful Reimbursement

While Medicare does not cover compression hosiery except for treatment of Venous Stasis Ulcers ( more info ), we've heard from many of our customers that they have found the "recipe" for success.We've posted a couple of new items in our knowledgebase that might help you get reimbursed for your support hose.

The first is a document from Aetna that outlines the criteria that must be met for reimbursement from some of their plans ( more info ). Overall, if your physician has prescribed at least a compression of 20mmHg for one of their listed medical conditions, they would cover compression hose in their listed medical plans.

While we can't guarantee success for everyone, just sending this document with your claim may help. If you have any questions about this document, just send us a message ( email for document questions ) and we'll do our best to help.

Medicare and Insurance FAQ can be found here.

Eat wisely, fly safely

Advice on eating to avoid DVT while Traveling

The sheer immobility of sitting in a plane (or coach, train or car) for more than four hours slows down the blood flow, and flying in a pressurised cabin can cause a further problem because some of the fluid component of your blood moves into surrounding tissues (the process which causes our ankles and feet to swell when we fly).

This makes our blood thicker and more prone to clotting.
If you add a meal rich in saturated fat into the mix, the problem may intensify, because saturated fats raise the levels of blood-fats after eating, which activates a substance called Factor 7 — a central component of the blood-clotting mechanism.

“While no specific clinical research has been done to find out if one-off fatty meals in-flight will push you over the edge and trigger DVT,” says the nutrition scientist Sarah Stanner of the British Nutrition Foundation, “in theory, eating fatty meals could make a difference”.

Many airlines have responded by offering lighter food options — indicated by their Well-Being symbol — which include dishes lower in fat, salt and sugar and higher in fibre (BA does this).
It is also a good idea to contact the airline before you fly and order a special meal. Virgin airlines offer a “low fat/low cholesterol” option, for example, which is well worth looking for.

If this is not possible, and you find yourself confronted with a standard in-flight main meal, then try to cut down on one of the following: the relatively harmless-looking cheese and biscuits, the extra butter that goes with your bread roll, the synthetic puddings and treats like ice cream that many airlines offer between meals.

Doctors Unite In Their Fight Against Economy Class Syndrome

Doctors Unite In Their Fight Against Economy Class Syndrome

Air travel is associated with a two- to threefold increased risk of developing thrombosis, experts said at the 12th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in Vienna (Austria). Doctors urge the EU and national governments to help make air travel safer by supporting research into preventing travelers' thrombosis.

The case of a young English woman who died shortly after a long haul flight from Australia in 2000 has gradually faded from public consciousness. That is unfortunate. Her death highlighted a problem that has long been grossly neglected: the risk to air travelers of venous thrombosis. A contributing factor to the cramped seating in economy class flights may be specific to the cabin environment, i.e. the low air pressure.

With two billion people boarding a plane annually, the danger venous thrombosis presents should be taken very seriously, says Professor Frits R. Rosendaal, from the Leiden University Medical Center (NL), at the European Hematology Association Congress meeting in Vienna from 7 to 10 June 2007. A recent WHO project (the WRIGHT, or WHO Research Into Global Hazards of Travel, project), the results of which are about to be made public, has shown that air travel is associated with a two- to threefold increased risk of developing blood clots in the legs, (deep vein thrombosis or DVT) or in the lungs (pulmonary embolism or PE)."

The risks of developing thrombosis when traveling are higher for people with certain common abnormalities in the blood, for women who use birth control pills, or people who use sleeping pills on a flight, as well as for people who are very tall, very short, or overweight", Professor Rosendaal says. "There may be a 50 to 100-fold increase in risk for people with combinations of those factors."

CBS correspondent tells of day the bomb went off - now wears support stockings

CBS correspondent tells of day the bomb went off - now wears support hose

After speaking with several of the soldiers and their families, Dozier contacted veteran CBS producer Susan Zirinsky and said, "I have a story to tell." The result is Flashpoint, a documentary about the aftermath of the bomb, which airs at 10 p.m. Tuesday, exactly a year after the explosion.

The prime-time special, anchored by Katie Couric, recounts the chaos immediately after the blast and its ripple effects months later.

Dozier still has to wear support stockings to keep her legs from swelling, but she's able to run again and is itching to return to the Mideast. She's still discussing her next assignment with CBS, but it won't be Baghdad again - for now, at least.


"What we tried to do in this program is not just show what happened to our crew, but show what happens when one of these bombs goes off - and they go off, as you know, pretty much every single day - what happens to so many people and how many lives are affected," said CBS News president Sean McManus.

The hourlong piece, which will be presented with limited commercial interruption, is unflinching in its portrayal of the bomb's carnage. There are scenes inside a Baghdad hospital of Dozier lying on a bed with gashed legs, screaming through her breathing tube - images captured by a CNN crew that happened to be filming that day. Bloodied soldiers writhe in agony on nearby gurneys.

The emotional repercussions of the attack have not yet subsided. CBS producer Kate Rydell is consumed with guilt that she insisted that the Army let both Douglas and Brolan go on the patrol, instead of just Douglas.

Sgt. Justin Farrar, Funkhouser's driver, feels he let down his captain by not protecting him from the explosion. "I should have been by you, sir," he says tearfully during the program, standing at Funkhouser's grave
.
For months, Dozier was dogged by memories of that day. But the experience also "leaves you with the strength of your convictions in a way I never had before," she said. "It reinforced what I already knew - why it was important to explain why these men and women were doing this job every day."

Yoga to Treat Varicose Veins

Yoga to Treat Varicose Veins

Varicose veins occur when the valves get damaged and hamper the flow of blood in one direction. The blood gets pooled in the area and the vein swells thus causing varicose veins. These swollen veins can cause severe pain. It is a common condition that mostly affects the legs and feet, especially of women. It is common among middle aged and elderly people. Yoga is very effective in treating Varicose Veins. It helps in alleviating pain and also prevents future attack.

How a surgeon used foam to treat my varicose veins by Alan Parsons

Alan Parsons is the man behind best-selling Seventies rock concept band The Alan Parsons Project which released ten albums, selling around 45 million copies.

Tennis has always been a love of mine, but there was one major snag. I had to wear shorts, which meant people were subjected to the ugly varicose veins that have plagued me for most of my adult life.

Mine first appeared, on both legs, when I was in my early 40s. Often after exercise or exertion I would feel a sharp pain as the blood tried to push through the damaged veins. Sometimes it would wake me up at night.

Click this link to read the entire article.

DVT Support Socks could replace drugs as lifeline for 1m hospital patients

DVT Support Socks could replace drugs as lifeline for 1m hospital patients

Up to a million hospital patients at risk of deadly blood clots will be given stockings to wear in bed, rather than drugs, according to Health Service guidelines.

At least 25,000 patients die every year - 25 times the number killed by the suberbug MRSA - after suffering deep vein thrombosis following a hospital operation.

Last week a highly critical report from MPs warned that the NHS was systematically underestimating the threat, leading to 500 unnecessary deaths a week.

They demanded urgent measures to combat blood-clotting, which costs the NHS £640million a year despite preventative drugs costing just £1 a day.

But new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, being sent to all hospitals in England and Wales, say only patients aged 60 and over should be routinely considered for bloodthinning drugs.

Up to a million patients aged between 40 and 60 will instead be given compression stockings to wear in hospital, and possibly inflatable "boots" during an operation to encourage blood flow to the legs.

Tips To Prevent Diabetic Foot Complications - The Diabetes Blog

Tips To Prevent Diabetic Foot Complications

As you know, diabetics are more prone to foot complications. These complications include fungal infections, calluses, ulcers, foot deformities, and gangrene -- which may include infection and may in some cases, lead to amputation.

The underlying diabetic cause for these complications is the nerve damage, also called neuropathy and a decrease of blood flow to the foot. Neuropathy causes loss of feeling in the feet, decreasing feeling, affecting balance and leading to a foot injury. Diabetes also causes damage to blood vessels in all parts of the body, including the legs and feet, and can lead to poor circulation.

General Surgeon: Advice to Medical Students

Doctor offers practical advice, culled from years of experience.


"Wear good support hose when you're on call," I'll say, "and your legs won't get so tired.

"And no matter how skanky the locker room, make sure you take a shower if you're ever up all night, because a shower is worth two hours sleep."

Anti-Gravity Support Socks

30 Minutes of Walking a Day Adds 1.3 Healthy Years

A moderate level of physical activity, such as walking 30 minutes a day, lengthened life by 1.3 years and added 1.1 more years without cardiovascular disease, compared with those with low activity levels. Those who chose a high physical activity level gained 3.7 years of life and added 3.3 more years without cardiovascular disease.

We'll keep your legs and feet healthy and feeling better with our Walking Support Socks for Men and Women.

DVT Blood Clot Risk for Office Workers

View research article and listen to Podcast interview



New Study Reveals Risks of S.I.T. - Seated Immobility Thromboembolism

The new study found that 34 per cent of patients admitted to hospital with blood clots had been seated at work for long periods, its leader, Richard Beasley of New Zealand's privately funded Medical Research Institute, said. Deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a condition in which a blood clot forms in the deep veins of the legs.

The condition can be fatal if part of the clot breaks off and blocks a blood vessel in the lungs. The condition has been linked to long-haul flights and dubbed “economy class syndrome,” because passengers traveling coach often do not have the space or opportunity to stretch enough to reduce the risk of blood clotting. “Being seated for long periods of time ... the risk is certainly there” of blood clots developing in the veins of the legs.

“There are considerably more people who are seated for long periods at work as part of their normal day than there are traveling,” he said, adding the main groups affected are workers in the information technology industry and in call centers. The study covered 62 patients aged under 65 who were admitted to hospital with blood clots. Professor Beasley said a surprise finding of the study was that “people are working for so long.

We had people not uncommonly working up to 12-14 hours a day and being seated for that time”. The 34 per cent finding is far higher than the 1.4 per cent of blood-clot patients who recently traveled on long-haul flights, and the study showed a clear link between travel and work-related thrombosis. “It's the same thing occurring in a similar circumstance as travelers' thrombosis,” he noted.

Some reported being seated on the job for three to four hours at a stretch, “reflecting the very sedentary nature of our work at the moment,” he said. A second study of seated immobility at work had results “very consistent with what we've found” in the first, Professor Beasley said without elaborating.

The study will be published next month in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

Anti-Gravity Support Socks Online Video

Anti-Gravity Support Socks

Reduce the Effects of Gravity, Leg Pain, and Swelling

Detecting Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) CBS News Video

Recently, Vice President Dick Cheney was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot that can occur during air travel. Dr. Emily Senay discusses the dangers and symptoms of DVT with Julie Chen

DVT Awareness Online Video - MSNBC

March 7, 2007:

Melanie Bloom and Dr. Frank Michota talk with TODAY's Ann Curry about deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and how people can be aware of the symptoms and risk factors.

Medicine from the Trenches

Suggestions for tired aching legs from a New Surgeon

If you spend as much time on your feet as I do, you get to know what works and what does not work in terms of foot comfort. There is no feeling worse than finding yourself in the middle of a 5-hour case with feet that are crying out for attention. This situation can affect your concentration and generally make an enjoyable situation pretty miserable.

My choice of socks and hosiery also come to play in my choice of foot wear. Support hose are a necessity for both men and women. Ten hours of standing will leave anyone with aching legs unless support hose are worn. My favorite technique is to wear a pair of support hose with thin cotton socks over top of my feet. I always liked having some cotton on my feet to absorb moisture.

A good pedicure is also a necessity for a surgeon. Again, anything that keeps your feet healthy and happy will be quite useful. I keep my toenails well groomed and properly cut both for running and for standing. A poorly trimmed toenail can cause problems during a long case, not to mention, rips in your support hose.
A good pedicure, support hose, cotton sock, a sprinkle of baking soda and my Birkie Bostons keep me ready to go for hours and hours. My feet stay happy and I barely notice them. After a long hard day in the OR, I treat myself to a dip in the whirlp0ol with the jets flowing over my feet and back. You can add a whirlpool tub to those necessities of a surgeon.

Cheney Diagnosed With Blood Clot (DVT)

Cheney Diagnosed With Blood Clot, VP Will Be Treated With Blood Thinners After Experiencing Mild Discomfort In Leg - CBS News:

Vice President Dick Cheney complained of pain in his left leg Monday and doctors discovered he has a blood clot that could be fatal if left untreated. The 66-year-old, who has a history of heart problems, will be treated with blood thinning medication for several months, said spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride.

Dick Cheney, the US Vice-President who has previously suffered four heart attacks, is undergoing medical treatment after developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his left leg during a tour of the Asia-Pacific last week.
The blood-clotting condition - nicknamed 'economy class syndrome' because people who fly in cramped conditions are usually most at risk - was diagnosed in the 66-year-old yesterday.
Despite travelling in comfort in an exclusive compartment on Air Force Two, Mr Cheney is still prone to the condition because of his history of blood clotting and heart attacks.
The Vice-President, whose first attack came when he was just 38 years old, last week travelled 25,000 miles and spent 65 hours in the air during a nine-day trip to Japan, Australia, Pakistan, Oman and Afghanistan.

Watch CBS videos

Vacuum Method Breaks Up DVT Blood Clots

Research Update: Method Breaks Up DVT Blood Clots:

"A new non-surgical treatment for the removal of blood clots appears to be safer, faster and more effective than traditional therapies in reducing the risk for pulmonary embolism and disability among patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT)."

Active.com - Travel and lower leg swelling

Active.com - Travel and lower leg swelling:

Experiences of Gale Bernhardt. She was the 2003 USA Triathlon Pan American Games and 2004 USA Triathlon Olympic coach for both the men's and women's teams.

"One of the recommendations that would be made for USA athletes traveling to the Olympic Games would be to consider wearing compression stockings. He said the stockings really work to help eliminate lower leg swelling. After talking to Randy, I decided I would not leave Greece without wearing a pair of compression stockings for the flights back to the USA. "

Great Legs - Health (washingtonian.com)

Great Legs - Health (washingtonian.com):


"Varicose and spider veins under your skin? Here’s how to prevent and treat them."

In Marie Antoinette’s day, women at court traced blue lines on their shoulders and necks to emphasize their noble blood. No woman today wants to direct attention to her veins; grape-colored coils under the skin are seen as a sign of age.

Exercise eases leg swelling

Exercise eases leg swelling:

"There are several simple ways to relieve swollen legs. They include exercise, leg elevation or even support stockings.

The easiest is to move your legs. Movement keeps the circulation pumping and the blood is less likely to stagnate. Walking around, going up and down steps, or just strolling around the office will help move the blood. If you must stand in one place, do some ankle pumps where you flex your ankle down toward the ground and then up toward your knee.

Elevating your legs 6 to 12 inches higher than your heart will also decrease swelling. If this is not possible at work, elevate your legs as soon as you get home. "

No magic potions to prevent spider, varicose veins

They creep up and down legs and thighs, around ankles and calves, but most of us think spider veins and varicose veins won’t appear — if they appear at all — until we’re older.

Much, much older.

Not so.

"Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Support Hose"

Try our new Healthy Legs KnowledgeBase.

We've updated ane expanded our most frequently asked questions and answers along with recent inquiries from our customers.

We're proud to give you the most up-to-date and complete resource to your questions about support hose and compression therapy.

Cathay Pacific - What's Onboard : In-Flight Health > DVT

Cathay Pacific - What's Onboard : In-Flight Health > DVT

Can I do anything to reduce my risk of getting DVT while travelling by air?
Yes. As two of the major causes are immobility and dehydration, you can do quite a lot to reduce these, and hence minimize your risk of getting DVT. Some suggestions are:
Avoid commencing an air journey in a dehydrated state (eg after drinking a lot of alcohol, having a hangover or being exposed to very hot weather for long periods).
Drink a lot of water and juices during the flight.
Drink coffee, tea and alcohol only in moderation as these are diuretics and may cause the body to dehydrate.
Move your legs and feet for 3 or 4 minutes per hour while in your seat to get the muscle pump working and avoid stasis. The Inflight Workout provides suggestions of some exercises that you can follow.
Do some stretching exercises when waiting to use the washroom.
Avoid wearing tight clothing around the upper thighs and body.