John* is a 65 year old retired professional that leads an active lifestyle and enjoys hobbies such as church bell ringing twice a week.
John knocked his leg and developed a small, painful wound on his ankle. At the first visit to his GP, John was prescribed a foam dressing to treat his wound whilst waiting to be referred to a vascular surgeon. However, during this time his wound deteriorated and his pain increased.
The vascular surgeon conducted a holistic assessment and found that John had signs of venous disease, however no leg swelling, or oedema, was present, and his ABPI* measurement was normal. This meant that John could be prescribed L&R’s Activa Leg Ulcer Hosiery Kit.
At first I was sceptical to accept that I had developed a leg ulcer but my Activa Leg Ulcer Hosiery Kit was very comfortable and unnoticeable underneath my normal clothing and footwear. No one knew I had a leg ulcer!
John’s leg ulcer healed within 3 weeks of wearing the hosiery kit. John was then prescribed Activa Moderate Compression Stocking to prevent his leg ulcer from recurring in the future.
John was pointed towards the Legs Matter website for useful advice, education, and relatable patient stories to support him with his condition. John now recognises that he has venous disease, and understands that he needs to wear his compression socks on both legs to maintain his leg health.
As part of his routine, John buys extra pairs of compression socks at www.shop.lrselfcare.co.uk to ensure that he has multiple pairs of compression to support his legs every day.
If you’re a compression wearer, we would recommend having a minimum of two pairs of hosiery – one to wash, and one to wear. You can purchase extra pairs of compression socks or tights on www.shop.lrselfcare.co.uk.
If you are new to wearing compression we advise you to be assessed and measured by your GP or pharmacist before purchasing.
*Not his real name.
**A holistic assessment includes conducting various patient assessments including; past medical history, physiological state, limb assessment, and ulcer history to form a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan.
***ABPI stands for Ankle-brachial pressure index which measures the ratio of blood pressure at the ankle to the blood pressure in the upper arm. This test can suggest where someone has blocked arteries. If the ABPI falls in between 0.8 – 1.3 compression can be advised.
