Compression socks for nurses: what the research shows

Short answer

• The strongest study we found is a 2024 randomized trial of 70 adults, mostly operating room nurses and surgeons, with work-related leg swelling.
• Both groups wore knee-length Class 2 stockings (23–32 mmHg at the ankle); both improved in pain, heaviness and swelling.
• Custom-fitted stockings improved symptoms more by three months, but the trial had no group without compression.
• Much of what is written about compression for nurses is unsourced or based on studies that report no data.
• If you have a health condition, symptoms in one leg, or are pregnant, talk to a doctor before using compression.

In this guide (8 sections)

1. What does "mmHg" and "Class 2" mean on compression socks?
2. What did the 2024 randomized trial find?
3. What the trial does not show
4. Why so much compression advice is weak
5. Are compression socks regulated?
6. Compression and the rest of your kit
7. When to talk to a doctor
8. What to check before you act

The research on compression socks for nurses is thinner than the advice online suggests. The strongest study we found is a 2024 randomized trial of 70 workers with work-related leg swelling, most of them operating room nurses and surgeons: symptoms improved in both groups wearing Class 2 stockings, and more with custom-fitted ones. That is encouraging but small, and it did not compare compression against no compression.

This page is a summary of evidence, not medical advice. It does not recommend a product or a pressure. If you have a health condition or symptoms, talk to a doctor.

What does "mmHg" and "Class 2" mean on compression socks?

Compression garments are labelled with pressure in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Graduated stockings are designed to press hardest at the ankle and less further up the leg.

The "Class" label groups pressures into bands. Different countries and standards define those bands differently, and we did not verify the definitions for this guide. So read any class label alongside its mmHg figure, and check which standard it refers to.

In the 2024 trial below, the stockings were knee-length, Class 2, rated 23–32 mmHg at the ankle. We use that only to describe the study, not as a suggested level for anyone.

What did the 2024 randomized trial find?

The trial was run mainly by the vascular surgery department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, with colleagues at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. It was published online in Vascular Medicine on 18 November 2024.

Feature	Detail
Design	Single-blind randomized controlled trial, 1:1 allocation
Participants	70 adults with occupational edema (35 per group); mean age about 42
Who	41 (58.6%) were operating room nurses and surgeons; others were teachers, sales and office staff
Enrollment	June to August 2022
Stockings	Knee-length, Class 2, 23–32 mmHg at the ankle
Groups	Custom-fitted (built from a 3D laser scan of each calf) vs standard sizes, same material and maker
Main outcomes	Self-rated leg symptoms (pain, heaviness, swelling) on a 1–10 scale; comfort
Follow-up	1 and 3 months

Results reported:

• Both groups improved in pain, heaviness and swelling at 1 and 3 months.
• By 3 months, the custom-fitted group improved significantly more.
• Comfort scores were higher with custom-fitted stockings.
• How long people wore them did not differ between the groups.
• Both types reduced calf volume, with no notable difference between them.

Limitations the authors noted: the sample was small, most participants were hospital staff, and work intensity, posture and standing time were not fully controlled.

What the trial does not show

It is worth being exact about what this study cannot tell you.

• No no-compression group. Both arms wore Class 2 stockings. Improvement in both could reflect the stockings, the passage of time, the attention of being in a study, or a mix.
• Symptoms were self-rated. Pain and heaviness scores are important, but they are subjective. Calf volume was measured, and both groups improved.
• One setting. It was run in China with mostly operating room staff. Ward nurses on 12-hour shifts may differ.
• Short term. Three months tells you nothing about long-term vein health.
• One pressure, one length. It did not test lower pressures, socks vs stockings, or thigh-high styles.

So the honest summary is: in people who already had work-related leg swelling, Class 2 knee-length stockings were associated with fewer symptoms, and a better fit seemed to help.

Why so much compression advice is weak

Search results for compression socks for nurses are dominated by retail blogs, many of which give pressure ranges without a source. Our research also found pages on hacked domains ranking for these queries.

Academic-looking sources can be weak too. A 2025 student research poster from Ohio Northern University, titled around compression socks and nurses on 12-hour shifts, concludes that compression reduces varicose veins, pain and swelling. But its abstract gives no sample size, no statistics and no results, and describes the study in forward-looking terms. It reads as a proposed study, not a completed one. We mention it only as an example of a claim you cannot rely on.

A quick test for any claim you read:

Question	Strong sign	Weak sign
How many people?	Stated number, ideally dozens or more	Not stated
Was there a comparison group?	Randomized groups	None, or "before and after" only
Who was studied?	People like you (similar job, shifts)	Unclear or very different
What was measured?	Named outcomes with results	A conclusion with no figures
Who paid?	Disclosed, independent	Seller of the product, not disclosed

Are compression socks regulated?

In the US, the FDA classifies medical support stockings under regulation 21 CFR 880.5780 as Class II devices. Some compression socks have been cleared through the 510(k) route. One example, cleared on 18 December 2012 for over-the-counter use, lists an intended use that includes helping prevent blood pooling, edema and leg discomfort.

A 510(k) clearance means the FDA found the product substantially equivalent to one already on the market. It is not a trial showing that the product helps nurses on long shifts.

We did not check UK or EU rules for this guide.

Compression and the rest of your kit

Leg comfort on shift is not only about socks. Footwear matters for safety: the UK Health and Safety Executive says slips, trips and falls account for around half of all reported major injuries to health service employees, and lists footwear among the factors (page updated 18 December 2024). We have not reviewed shoe evidence here.

Fit matters for scrubs as well as socks. Tight waistbands or cuffs are a separate issue from compression; see our scrub size charts if your pants feel restrictive. For how fabric stretch works, see scrub fabric blends.

When to talk to a doctor

Compression is not right for everyone, and leg symptoms can have causes that need checking. Talk to a doctor or other qualified clinician before using compression if:

• you have a known circulation, heart or kidney condition, or diabetes
• you are pregnant
• swelling, pain, redness or warmth is in one leg only
• you have skin changes, wounds or numbness in your legs or feet
• symptoms continue on days off

If you have sudden chest pain or sudden breathlessness, call your local emergency number.

Your occupational health service can also help, especially if leg symptoms are affecting your work.

What to check before you act

• Talk to a doctor first if any of the points above apply to you.
• Read the mmHg figure, not just the class or the marketing name.
• Check which body measurements the maker uses for sizing, and measure carefully.
• Treat pressure "recommendations" without a source as opinion.
• Look for a named study with numbers before believing a health claim.
• Check your employer's uniform policy if hosiery color or style is specified.

Questions people ask

General information only, not medical, legal or employment advice. Your employer's uniform and laundry policy comes first, and brand specs and prices change. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Sources

1. Mid-term effect of customized graduated elastic compression stockings for managing occupational edema: a randomized controlled trial (Vascular Medicine, online 18 Nov 2024)checked October 23, 2026
2. Impact of compression sock use on lower extremity health among nurses working 12-hour shifts (Ohio Northern University student research colloquium poster, 2025)checked October 23, 2026
3. 510(k) K123398, compression socks (US FDA, cleared 18 Dec 2012)checked October 23, 2026
4. Slips and trips in health and social care (HSE, updated 18 Dec 2024)checked October 23, 2026