If your feet hurt or ankles swell while traveling, enjoying all the special places and activities can be more challenging.
I have ankle issues, which conveniently seem to crop up just before a trip. I had surgery 7 weeks before a Mediterranean cruise. One week before takeoff, I started physical therapy, walking on both feet for the first time in 6 weeks. My therapist’s instructions were simple, ice and elevate the ankle, wear the brace and while flying, wear support hose (also know as compression socks). The toe to knee, thin black socks I purchased looked more like something my husband would wear. They were very hard to put on, uncomfortable and cut into the knee. However, true to their promise, my good ankle did not swell and the bad ankle swelled very little. I decided to add compression socks to my overseas travel wardrobe.
A year later, on a trip to St. Louis both my ankles swelled. So before my next long flight, I decided a new, more comfortable pair of compression socks was in order. Coincidentally, a friend of a friend sold compression socks to athletes, so I tried a pair. The socks were heavy duty, a bit rough, bright pink with a wide top and made for a specific foot. Thank heavens they were labeled L and R as you didn’t want to have to put them on twice. These were my go to socks for 3 years. They performed admirable, keeping me and my ankles very happy.
This summer I worked for a travel company and found another brand to buy. The pretty, soft socks by Sockwell, come in a variety of sizes, compressions and patterns. And they have bamboo which helps control odor. These socks worked great. After an 18 hour flight to Hong Kong and journey via public transit to the hotel, my feet and ankles were comfortable. Talking to an ER nurse who swears by the brand and was buying a pair for a surgeon friend, I was even more convinced these were the real deal.
So next time you travel, consider getting compression socks. Many brands are available, so you should be able to find one that works for you. And don’t limit their use to air travel. My spouse wears compression socks to keep his kegs energized during long days exploring new sights. Happy feet, happy travels.