The Veined system

While the arterial systemacts as a transporter of the blood fromthe heart to the periphery,the veined blood circulates in the opposite direction, that is to say from the periphery to the centre,returning the blood to the heart.

In the legs,the return of the veined blood back to the heart, is done through two systems: the deep veined system and the superficial veined system.

The veined return is made through the valves inside the veins which block the backward movement of the blood.Sometimes, either because these valves do not shut properly or because the light of the vessels gets wider, it starts to shape a varicose vein.

When the superficial veined system is affected it is called “Pre-varicose or Varicose Syndrome”, depending on the stage of the shortage. When the deep veined system becomes affected , an illness called “Varicose Syndrome”is developed.

WHAT IS A VARICOSE VEIN?

Varicose veins are permanent dilatations of the veins, localized in the legs. The wall of the veins is made of muscles which become contracted forcing the blood to go up to the heart, and the valves which prevent blood from its backward movement.

Varicose veins are caused mainly because of a shortage of the valves, which cannot support blood and bring it back to the heart.

WHY IS ELASTIC COMPRESSION BENEFICIAL?

There are some mechanisms which favour and allow the transport of blood from the periphery to the heart,objecting the action of gravity.Among these mechanisms, we have to emphasize the muscles from the calf which become contracted, overall when walking, and which exert the action of pumping the blood.

We could define the elastic compression tights as “ a system of controlled compression intended for lower extremities aimed at improving veined return”.

 

HOW DO THE COMPRESSION TIGHTS WORK ON LEGS?

Legs which suffer from veined shortage is owing to a bad running of the valves whose role is to facilitate the pumping of the veined return, which provokes a partial or complete obstruction of veins.

Decreasing compression is a compression therapy which facilitates the return of veined blood from the ankle to the thigh, helping blood to maintain an ascendary flow and avoiding the backward movement of the flow. Logically,the preassure on the ankle area must be higher and must be reduced slowly while ascending up to the leg.

TYPES OF COMPRESSIONS

When we talk about compression of tights, we always talk about the compression that exerts on the ankle area. The compression is measured in mm/Hg (millimetres of mercury).

Depending on the degree of the veined shortage and after visiting the specialist, the type of compression worn by the patient will be decided, taking into account the following instructions:

- Light Compression (from 15 to 22 mm/Hg): light varicose veins caused by pregnancy,immobility, tireness and leg heaviness.
- Normal Compression (from 22 to 29 mm/Hg): varicose veins with light oedema.
- After varicoflebytis.Pregnancy varicose veins. Post-traunatic oedema. Operative Prophylaxis.
- Strong Compression (from 30 to 40mm/Hg): Cronic shortage veined with important oedema tendency. After the cure of importan tvaricose ulcers.

Medilast endorses compression through some tests which guarantee a decreasing compression on different areas of the leg.

USE AND CARE OF COMPRESSION TIGHTS