When you see a sock or foot sleeve that says made with “graduated compression” it means that this garment is made to help promote circulation on your legs. Graduated compression socks apply a tighter amount of pressure near your ankle and then apply less and less compression as the sock moves up the leg. This way, socks naturally help to push blood back up the leg from the ankle to the thigh and the rest of the body as a way of counteracting pooling, clots and leg swelling.
Graduated compression helps to promote circulation, energize tired, achy legs and help prevent and reduce swelling. Graduated compression does offer the wearer support, which may be where the confusion lies between support hose and gradient compression. Just remember that not all support hose have gradient compression, but all gradient compression offers support.
