Why most compression socks don't work, and what graduated actually means

Most people think all compression socks do the same thing. You put them on, they squeeze your legs, and that is supposed to help. So when a pair feels tight all over and your legs still ache by evening, it is easy to decide compression simply does not work for you.

But here is what almost nobody explains at the shop. There is a real difference between a sock that just squeezes, and one that is properly graduated. One of them supports your legs the way they are meant to be supported. The other just grips them evenly and does very little.

Once you understand the difference, it becomes obvious why some compression leaves your legs heavy and marked, and other compression leaves them feeling light. It comes down to one word: graduated.