How To Use Sock Aid

If you're healthy and flexible, putting your socks on every morning and taking them off in the evening is something you probably do without thinking.

Nevertheless, non everybody can do this seemingly uncomplicated action easily. People who have mobility issues and have trouble angle will benefit from learning how to use a sock assistance, as it removes the need for them to bend over to get their socks on and off.

Hither'south everything yous need to know nearly these devices if you or someone yous know could do good from using 1.

What Is a Sock Aid?

A sock help—also known equally a stocking aid—is a device that helps people to put socks or stockings on hands without needing to bend.

Information technology usually consists of a half-tube at one end and either long rigid handles or ribbons or ropes that you tin can reach without stretching.

Practiced sock aids usually come in multiple different lengths to adjust dissimilar heights. All the same, the longer the better, as long as the tube tin can accomplish your feet while the ropes are in your hands.

You can also discover a metallic framework type of sock help, which is used to help people with better mobility in getting compression socks on easily.

These sock aids are not probable to be used by people with mobility problems.

Why Do You Need a Sock Aid?

People with mobility issues or severe pain may struggle to lean over far enough to put their socks on without pain.

These may include arthritis, injuries, spinal injuries, or recovering later on a stroke.

In these cases, a sock aid tin be an invaluable tool to help people with mobility problems retain their independence and make the everyday task of putting socks on much easier.

Sock Assistance Features

Flexible vs Rigid

You get two kinds of sock aids—flexible and rigid sock aids. This refers to the piece of the sock aid at the bottom, which holds the sock.

Flexible sock aids have an end piece that's flexible and allows you to skid the sock over it without stretching the sock out too much. They're easier to use if you merely have the use of a unmarried mitt.

Rigid sock aids don't bend as y'all slide the sock over them, which may pb to your socks becoming stretched over time.

Fabric-Covered

Some sock aids take a plastic finish piece, while others take fabric-covered cease pieces. The fabric helps to keep the sock in place and stops it from sliding.

Handles

Sock aids come with either i or two handles. A unmarried-string handle may exist the best choice if your mobility problems extend to your hands. The 2-handled sock aids require more coordination and may be more difficult to use.

Also, the handles may be rigid or loose like ropes. Rigid handles are more difficult to store, while loose handles can make it much easier to store your sock aid in a drawer or cupboard.

How to Use a Sock Help

When placing the sock on the sock aid, you lot volition hold the end slice in your hands or identify it between your knees. This allows yous to accomplish it easily without bending.

Orient the Sock With the Sock Assistance

Brand sure you are adjustment the sock correctly. The closed office of the tube needs to exist underneath your foot when you put it on, so make sure the bottom of your sock goes under this function of the sock aid.

Slide the Sock Over the Sock Assistance

Scrunch the opening of your sock downward until you are holding it open almost at the very bottom. Slide the tube into your sock, pulling the sock up and over the half-tube.

Pull the sock up over the tube, just make sure it stops before the handles attach to the tube.

Make Sure the Toe of the Sock Is Pulled Tight

You may notice that the toe of the sock hangs off of the tube loosely. You want to pull this tight over the end of the sock aid, and so y'all should scrunch the sock up the tube so that the toe is tight, but the sock's opening doesn't go over the handles.

Hold Onto the Handles and Drop the Sock Help to the Ground

One time the sock is on the tube, you should take hold of the handles and lower the tube to the ground. This may be easier with rigid handles, but yous will demand to be more careful if yous take rope handles.

It's easiest to throw the tube with the sock out in front of your feet and then use the handles to drag it back gently until it's in the right position, simply alee of your pes.

Identify Foot Into Sock

While holding the handles, you will need to maneuver the sock-covered tube to your foot. While still holding the handles, slip your human foot into the sock.

Make certain you place your pes into the sock until your toes touch the toe of the sock. Concord the handles tightly so that you don't accidentally pull the handles out of your easily.

You may need to flex your foot to get the sock over your heel before the tube completely comes out of the sock.

Pull on the Rope and the Plastic of the Sock Aid

In one case your human foot is inside the sock, pull the handles gently and slowly towards y'all to get the sock off the tube and onto your human foot.

If you have mobility in your feet, you may demand to move your pes a piffling to assist get the sock off the tube and onto your foot.

Adjust Sock every bit Necessary

Once the tube has been removed, you may need to adapt your sock slightly to brand sure it's comfortable. You may have to practise this using your other foot, or remove the sock entirely and try once again with the sock aid.

How to Take Your Socks Off

You can besides get a different sock assist known as a reacher. This is designed to be used with just one paw.

It consists of a rigid handle with an extra extension piece jutting out that can act as "jaws" by pushing a button on the handle.

To get the sock off of your foot, slide the extended piece into the back of your sock and lift the sock over your heel. Once the sock starts to lift from your toes, remove the piece from the back of your sock.

Using the jaw feature, grab the toe of your sock and gently pull it off of your foot.

How to Make Your Ain Sock Aid

You lot can easily make your own sock aid using a flexible slice of cardboard or thin plastic and two ropes.

We recommend using stiff cardboard that can be bent into shape or making a one-half-tube out of a plastic bottle.

Yous volition need to make sure that information technology'due south quite bigger than your foot to let enough of space to skid your human foot into the opening.

Also, make certain that if you lot're using a plastic bottle or something like, you file downward the edges so that there are no chances of injuring your anxiety while putting your socks on.

Become somebody to assistance you measure the length from your outstretched foot to your easily when seated. This will help you get the right rope length, making using your sock assist much easier.

Then attach the ropes—or a single rope in a loop—to the plastic tube slice. Your sock aid should be ready for use immediately.