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Controlling lower and leg foot swelling and Edema

Blog Benefits of using Hinged Sock Aid and Shock Aid Dressing Stick.

Compression socks are frequently prescribed to decrease edema of the legs and feet after surgery such as hip or knee replacements. But, did you know that a large number of our population has swelling or edema in their legs and feet due to lack of mobility or decreased activity levels? These individuals may have lived very active lives at one time but may find that their get “up and go” has “gotten up and gone”.  They now live sedentary lifestyles and may not be walking enough to help push or pump the fluid back into their circulatory system.

 Unfortunately, this decreased activity level can lead to harmful or even dangerous outcomes.  Similar to traveling on an airplane for long periods of time, sitting in a wheelchair or chair can predispose one to circulatory problems. These problems can be minimized with the consistent use of support hose or stockings.

Putting on a TED Hose, Support Stockings, or Compression stocking is difficult for most people, especially for those with bending or reaching limitations. The Hinged Sock Aid and Hinged Compression Sock Aid offer a great solution to this problem.

The Hinged Sock Aid with one spring, and Hinged Compression Sock Aid with two springs, have a customized hinge and protective covered springs to help make putting socks and compression socks on much easier. 

The hinge allows the Hinged Sock and Compression Sock Aids to close to a much smaller opening; This allows putting socks on the device much easier than loading socks onto a Standard Sock Aide. The hinge provides similar benefits of Soft Sock Aides that fold into a smaller size to make loading the sock easier.

The Hinged Sock and Compression Sock Aids lock into this closed position by using a simple latch system with the rope and hook.  This system keeps the Hinged Sock and Compression Sock Aid closed while freeing up both hands to pull the sock on the device.  Soft Sock Aides require the individual to squeeze and hold the device closed while attempting to put the sock on the device.  Not only can this be challenging but also frustrating.

The Hinged Sock Aid opens the sock with the help of a single spring and is ideal for regular socks or Travel Socks with a compression rate of 15 mm/hg or lower.  In comparison to a Soft Sock Aides, once a sock is placed on the device, the compression of the sock keeps the Soft Sock Aide Closed and difficult to put in the foot.  The stronger the sock, the more challenging it is to open the device to put the foot in.

The Hinged Compression Sock Aid opens with the help of two springs making it ideal for TED Hose or Compression Socks with a compression rate of 15 to 30 mm/hg.  The Hinged Compression Sock Aid is much stronger and requires greater hand strength to close and open.  We highly recommend following the provided instructions for proper technique or using our affordable Closing Tool to make closing and opening of the device much easier. 

Both products are manufactured in the USA and provide professional grade material which will provide the durability you seek.  One size will accommodate most feet sizes.

The Shock Aid Dressing Stick is a multi-use tool that is made of all metal components and includes a shoehorn. This durable device is over 32 inches long yet weighs only 10 ounces.  It has a reinforced protective covered hook to safely remove TED Hose or Compression Socks without fear of bending or breaking like similar dressing sticks.  The rubber coated hook is designed to reduce potential skin tears and provides multiple features that make dressing and undressing of the lower body much safer and easier without the need of additional tools.

The Hinged Sock and Compression Sock Aids, and Shock Aid Dressing Stick with Shoehorn have been clinically tested and proven to be effective with a large population of adult patients. Designed to help people with bending or reaching limitations, these devices can be extremely useful to improve management of swelling or edema of the feet and legs and increase independence with self-care.

For those with back pain, these two devices can save an average individual over 6000 bends a year, and help reduce excessive bending, twisting, or lifting that may be contributing to their pain.  It is also worth mentioning that caregivers also perform approximately 6000 bends per year to dress and undress themselves.  Adding the burden of care to dress a loved one can add an additional 3,000 to 4,000 bends per year.  It’s no wonder that many caregivers report increased back pain when helping with this task.