People get sock marks on their feet and legs after wearing them all day or even after several hours. Most people don’t think much of these indentations – but the seemingly innocuous lines can reveal a glimpse into your health.
While lines from your socks to your feet and head aren’t usually a cause for concern, they’re worth noting—especially if they have any associated symptoms. Below, doctors share when your sock marks are a potential problem and when they likely aren’t:
Health: A viral video is sparking major fears over products from a popular home store – experts reveal whether there’s a real risk
Sock lines are common and often occur when someone sits all day, is on their feet all day or makes certain dietary choices.
If you notice indents on your feet or legs after taking off your socks, don’t panic, says Dr. Catherine Teter, a vascular surgeon at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.
“It’s very common, especially for those of us who spend most of our day working on our feet, or where we’re sitting for long periods of time, where your feet are in a dependent position,” Teter added.
“Most of us have sedentary jobs, or we stand all day. We have blood clots in our legs. That makes a lot of sense,” says Dr. Brintha Vasagar mentioned.
If you don’t sit or stand all day, lines on your feet could indicate a straightforward (and not serious) problem: Your socks might be a little too tight, says Vasagar.
Health: Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS) is a real condition – and it can explain many things
“Another common thing is probably going to be dehydration,” Vasagar notes. When you are dehydrated, fluid accumulates in your legs. This can cause leg swelling and sock marks.
Likewise, eating salty food at a restaurant can cause some swelling in the feet, according to Tater, just as it can cause swollen toes, and eventually lead to sock marks.
For most people, sock lines are not a problem, but they can become a problem if the marks are accompanied by other symptoms.
A foot is swollen whether you are wearing socks or not. If this happens, you should let your doctor know.
Finds: This 1 clothing item can make flights less miserable — and we found the best options
This is also true if you notice hyperpigmentation near the feet; large varicose veins; Or heaviness, pain, or fatigue in the legs after standing that gets better when you raise your legs, Teter added. This could be a sign of a vein problem.
“Those problems are usually not dangerous problems. However, we treat veins when they cause significant symptoms in patients,” Teter said.
Like this article? Long live independent journalism. Support HuffPost.
If your socks leave marks on your feet, it’s probably not a cause for concern, but it could be a sign of certain health problems. Illustration: HuffPost; Photo: Getty Images
If your sock lines only appear on one leg, are worse on one side, or get worse over time, let your doctor know.
If you notice that your sock lines only appear on one side of your body or are worse on one leg, you should see your doctor, according to Vasagar.
“Our body likes to be in balance. It likes to be symmetrical. So when one side is different from the other, it’s usually a sign that something is off,” Vasagar added.
Health: If you hit your head, watch out for these symptoms…even days later
In severe cases, sock lines that worsen over time can sometimes be a sign of kidney disease or heart failure.
“For things like that, you’ll notice that things are getting progressively worse,” Wassagern said. The indents in your socks may appear deeper or last longer as the weeks and months pass.
And with heart failure, you’ll also see “people with shortness of breath, they have trouble getting completely flat when they’re lying down. There are other things that can go along with that,” she said.
“Changes are always a sign to talk to someone with expertise,” Vasagar said.
Finds: Expert-recommended products to combat the symptoms of poor circulation
Many people who see sock lines are quick to assume it’s a circulation problem, but that’s unlikely, according to Teter.
“Usually, blood clots don’t just happen in the absence of symptoms,” Teter said. “If people had a clot, seeing these kinds of sock lines wouldn’t necessarily be a sign of that.”
Someone with a blood clot usually has considerable swelling, pain and possible redness of the leg or calf, Teter explained. “And those are the things that prompt you to see your doctor and potentially get an ultrasound for evaluation.”
The best types of socks are comfortable and fit, but compression socks may be a better option for certain people.
Whether you choose a popular brand of ankle socks or compression socks, the socks are likely to get marks. Aside from indents, the best type of socks, according to Tater, are the ones that feel most comfortable and fit you well.
Compression socks, which are tight, high socks that prevent fluid from pooling in your legs, can be a good choice for people who are on their feet all day because of the swelling and other symptoms people may experience after being on their feet all day.
“So, for example, I’m a physician. I wear compression stockings most days of the week because I’m on my feet in the operating room for hours a day, and even though my circulation is completely normal, my legs and feet feel a lot less heavy and tired when I wear them,” Teter said.
Compression socks are also a smart choice for someone who sits all day, Vasagar said.
“Like when you’re on an airplane, we say, ‘You’re going to be sitting for a really long time, put on compression socks, they’ll help,’ get up and walk every couple of hours, that will happen.” [also] help Those strategies will work for you if you’re sitting a lot for your work,” notes Vasagar.
There are a few things you can do to reduce the lines your socks leave on your feet.
If there are no health issues behind your sock indentations, there are a few things you can do to reduce these signs. These include elevating your legs, wearing compression stockings, and prioritizing exercise and diet, according to Vasagar.
If you try these things and you’re stuck with marks that won’t go away when you take your socks off, “it’s time to go to your family doc and get checked out, make sure there’s nothing more serious going on,” Vasagar said. “It doesn’t mean that automatically, we’re saying, ‘Oh, my God, it’s heart failure,’ but it’s good to run through all the other things that could be happening and make sure it’s not something more serious.”
Related to…
Read the original at HuffPost
