Thanks to Winter Storm Jonas and the nearly 30” of snow he left in his wake, I and millions of others along the east coast have been holed up in our homes for 36 hours and counting.
With nowhere to go and a new book awaiting me on my Kindle, I decided to give my legs a snow day too. No compression stockings. Bare legged. A break from the normal 16 hours a day spent cooped up in tight, thick nylon-spandex, from toes to tummy.
What a glorious day! Toes wiggling. Thighs rubbing against cozy Cuddl Duds softness. No pinching, pulling, or squeezing. Freedom!
Don’t wait for a “Snowmaggedon” to give your legs a day off. If you are able, try letting them “air out” for a day, a day of freedom, while still maintaining lymphatic flow.
Some suggestions:
- Take a load off. Limit the time you spend standing. Keep your legs elevated above your heart as much as possible. The natural effect of gravity will facilitate lymphatic flow. When cooking and preparing meals, try sitting on a stool or chair. Logically, spending significant time on your feet without compression is not recommended.
Kick your feet up. Literally. Find a chair that lifts your legs up while taking pressure off of your back. Watch a movie or read a book while compression-stocking-free.
- Hydrate your legs. Pampering your skin is a luxury you don’t have while confined to compression stockings; so take advantage of this time. Every few hours, apply lotion to your legs, working it in with upward strokes to encourage lymphatic flow. And don’t forget your feet! I recommend Eucerin Smoothing Repair for Dry Skin or Medi Night Creme.
Wear cozy socks. Let your feet experience what normal feet do – the luxury of soft fabric directly against the skin. Choose a style of sock that does not bind at the top, cutting off lymphatic flow. Diabetic socks are made with this in mind. Non-binding socks made by Sockwell (pictured right), Soft Fit and Softop are available through Footsmart.com or Amazon.
Hit the sack early. Catch up on sleep. Isn’t that what snow days are for? Don’t forget to use a slant pillow under your legs in bed to keep them elevated. I use the leg elevator pictured right from Footsmart.com
When we were kids, nothing beat the freedom of hearing that there was a snow day. Every once in awhile, try to give your legs that same freedom by letting them go through the day without compression. They will thank you for it!
Lymphedema Diary 