Product instructions and qualified clinical advice take priority when they apply to you.
Before you start: size, instructions and help
Check three things before you pick up the sock: the size, your pair's instructions, and whether you can do this gently on your own.
- Size. Measure with our fit guide and match the size chart for your style.
- Instructions. Our product page says to follow any instructions supplied with your pair.
- Help. Our suggestion: if you can't reach your feet, can't grip the fabric, or can't move it gently, don't keep trying alone. Ask someone you trust to help, or use an aid.
Aids for putting socks on
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust says various devices are available to help you get socks on and off.
A best practice statement published by Wounds UK says these application and removal aids are typically either fabric or rigid, and should be chosen according to each person's physical needs. With fabric aids, you still need to be able to bend to reach your feet.
Rigid frames often have long-handle options and may assist people who have difficulty bending forward to reach their foot, the same statement says. It also lists an anti-slip mat as an aid for putting socks on.
Our suggestion: ask a healthcare professional or pharmacist which aid suits you.
Get ready: seat, hands and skin
Sit down, take off your watch and jewelry, and decide on gloves before you start.
- Seat. Sit on a firm surface where your feet can touch the ground (MyHealth Alberta).
- Jewelry. Take off your watch and any jewelry so they don't snag on the sock (Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust).
- Gloves. Rubber gloves with soft interior linings can aid grip (Wounds UK). Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust recommends non-latex gloves, which help you grip the sock and prevent accidental scratches to your skin. Our suggestion: if latex is a concern for you, check the glove label.
- Skin creams. Guidance differs. Kingston and Richmond says to wait until your skin is dry before putting them on. Kent says not to use cream before putting them on, because it can harm and break down the fabric and elastic fibers. Follow the skin-care advice and product instructions for your pair; don't assume a tip for another product applies to yours.
Step by step: the inside-out method
Turn the sock inside out to the heel, center your heel, then work up in short sections.
This page describes two methods from different sources; use the one that matches your pair's instructions. These steps show a closed-toe, knee-high sock and follow MyHealth Alberta's guide. Other sources are named at the end of a step.
- Turn it inside out to the heel. Hold the top band in one hand. Reach in with the other hand, grab the heel, and pull your hand back up through the sock, turning it inside out as far as the heel. Stop there. Avoid gathering or bunching the sock; that makes it harder to put on (Kent).
- Put your toes in as far as they will go.
- Center your heel, then pause. Pull the sock up slightly, just around your heel. Look, or feel with your hand: the heel of the sock should sit on your heel. Don't pull it further up until it does (Dorset). If it's off, start again; that might be easier than trying to reposition it (Kent).
- Bring the fold over your ankle. Use both hands to grasp the folded part about 2 inches below the fold. That distance tells you where to hold the sock; it isn't a leg measurement. Pull that section up over your ankle.
- Work up in short sections. From above your ankle, grasp the folded part again the same way and pull that section up. Repeat until the top band is in its final position. Pull smoothly, without twisting or overstretching the fabric (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust). Don't pull hard or tug it from the ankle (Kingston and Richmond), and don't pull it up by the top band alone (our product page). If it hurts, stop and see "When should you take them off?" below.
- Smooth it out by running your hands over the sock. Then do the checks below.
See the hand position. The MyHealth Alberta illustrated guide shows the heel and the folded layer to grasp. Its illustrations show a general stocking method; the endpoint in this page is for a knee-high, not a thigh-high. The opening chair illustration on this page is not a step demonstration.
Open-toe styles. "Toes in as far as they will go" isn't the end point here. Center the heel first, then adjust the forefoot opening. Guy's and St Thomas' says to make sure the heel and toes sit properly.
The roll-down method
Roll the sock to the heel, put your foot in, then unroll it up your leg. These steps are MedlinePlus's.
- Roll it to the heel. Hold the top band and roll the sock down to the heel.
- Put your foot in as far as you can.
- Put your heel in the heel of the sock.
- Pull it up and unroll it over your leg.
- Smooth it. Once the top band is in place, smooth out any wrinkles.
Preparing a sock before putting it on is different from leaving its top band rolled or folded while you wear it. Once it's on, check the top band (below).
Check before you stand up
Stay seated and check four things. These checks come from MedlinePlus, Guy's and St Thomas', Kent and Cleveland Clinic.
- No wrinkles or bunching. Don't let the sock bunch up or wrinkle.
- Heel and toes in place. Make sure the heel and toe sections are correctly in place.
- Toes not restricted. If your toes feel restricted, gently draw the sock away from them to release any pressure.
- The top band. On a knee-high, it should come to two fingers below the knee bend. Don't fold the top over.
If something's off:
- It doesn't look right. Take it off and start again (Kent).
- The fabric looks overstretched, or there's extra at the top. If it's overstretched, push it back down to the ankle and pull it up again (Guy's and St Thomas'). Dorset links extra fabric at the top to pulling too hard, so go gently. Don't fold the extra over. Still too much? See "When to contact us" below.
If anything hurts, see "When should you take them off?" below.
What if they're still hard to get on?
Only try these adjustments if the pair feels comfortable, none of the warning signs in the next section apply, and the fabric moves gently. Otherwise, stop and follow the removal and provider-contact guidance below.
| What's happening | Try this |
|---|---|
| You can't grip the fabric | Try gloves (see "Get ready") and grasp the folded part with both hands, as in step 4. Still can't get a hold? Ask someone to help, or see "Aids for putting socks on" above. |
| Your skin feels sticky or damp | Wait until your skin is dry (Kingston and Richmond), and follow the skin-care advice for your pair. |
| The fabric snags | Take off your watch and jewelry (Kingston and Richmond), and take care that calluses, rough skin or nails don't damage the fabric (Kent). |
| It won't go over your heel or calf | Stop pulling. Ease it back down and start again from the heel step. If it still won't go gently, recheck your measurements with our guide on how to measure for compression socks, and see "When to contact us" below. |
When to contact us. If your measurements match a size on the chart for your style and the sock still won't go on, or there's still extra fabric at the top, contact us before you order again. Use the chart and instructions for the exact style; do not assume that different styles use identical rules. Ask us to check any unresolved calf, foot or length mismatch before ordering.
Our suggestion: send the style you're looking at, both legs' calf and ankle measurements with units, your US shoe size, and the size and style of the pair you have now.
When should you take them off?
Take them off if they feel uncomfortably tight, Cleveland Clinic says.
It also says to take them off, and to call your provider, if you notice any of these:
- Pain
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Skin discoloration or damage
- Worsening swelling
Our suggestion: if you can't take them off gently and you have any of these signs, don't pull harder. Contact your provider or get medical help promptly.
For ordinary trouble getting them off, see how to take off compression socks.
Start with the right size
Putting on compression socks comes down to order: center your heel, then move the fabric up in short sections.
When you're choosing a pair, measure first with our fit guide, then see our wide-calf knee-highs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to put on compression socks?
There isn't one easiest way for everyone. Use the method that matches your pair's instructions; Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust says you need to choose the easiest method for you. With either method, center your heel before you go higher, and stop if it hurts.
Do rubber gloves help you put on compression socks?
They can help with grip. MedlinePlus suggests rubber dishwashing gloves to help adjust the socks and smooth them out. Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust recommends non-latex gloves specifically. Our suggestion: if latex is a concern, check the glove label.
Is there a tool to help put on compression socks?
Yes. MedlinePlus describes a special gadget called a stocking donner that slides the stocking over your foot, and says you can buy one at a medical supply store or online. For fabric versus rigid aids, see "Aids for putting socks on" above.
Can I put lotion on before compression socks?
Guidance differs on skin creams. Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust says to wait until your skin is dry before putting them on, while Kent says not to use cream before putting them on, because it can harm the fabric. Follow the skin-care advice and product instructions for your pair; don't assume a tip for another product applies to yours.
Should compression socks be hard to put on?
It can be tricky at first, MyHealth Alberta says, but after you practice a few times, it may get easier. Tricky shouldn't mean forced: don't pull hard or tug from the ankle. If they feel uncomfortably tight or hurt, take them off (see above). For fit, see how tight compression socks should be.
Does this guide replace product instructions or medical advice?
No. Follow the instructions for your exact pair, and seek qualified advice if your compression was prescribed or you're unsure whether it's right for you.
Some guides we quote were written for people whose stockings were prescribed; we use them only for general putting-on steps.
Sources
- How to put on compression stockings — MyHealth Alberta (WebMD Ignite content)
- Compression stockings — MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
- Compression socks and stockings — Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
- Applying graduated compression stockings — Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Compression stockings — Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
- Advice for applying and wearing compression garments — Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Best Practice Statement: Compression hosiery (3rd edition, 2021) — Wounds UK (supported by an educational grant from a compression manufacturer)
- Compression Therapy — Cleveland Clinic
- What You Need To Know About Compression Socks — Cleveland Clinic