How to Measure Your Legs for Compression Stockings (Step-by-Step)

Compression stockings are sized by measurement, not by shoe or dress size — and the single most common reason a stocking disappoints is that it was ordered without a tape measure ever touching the leg. The good news: measuring takes about five minutes, needs nothing more than a soft sewing tape, and once you know your numbers, every size chart on our site becomes easy to read. Here is the whole process, step by step.

Before you start: three rules

• Measure first thing in the morning. Legs are at their slimmest right after you get up, before any swelling builds through the day. A stocking sized to an evening leg will be loose by mid-morning — manufacturers design their charts around morning measurements.
• Measure both legs. They are rarely identical, especially if one is the reason you are shopping. If the two legs land in different sizes, tell us — depending on the difference, the answer may be sizing to one leg, or a different garment entirely.
• Use a soft measuring tape, snug but not tight. The tape should sit flat against the skin without pressing into it. Measure against bare skin, not over clothing.

The measurement points, and where they are on your body

Size charts label the measuring points with small codes — cB, cC, cG — which come from the manufacturers' own fitting system. The letters look technical, but each one is just a spot on your leg:

• Ankle (cB) — around the narrowest part of your ankle, just above the ankle bone. This is the most important measurement on the whole chart, because compression is strongest at the ankle: if only one number is right, make it this one.
• Calf (cC) — around the widest part of your calf.
• Thigh (cG) — around your thigh near the top, at the crease under the buttock. Needed for thigh highs and pantyhose only.
• Waist (cT) and hips (cH) — some pantyhose charts also ask for these, measured around the natural waistline and the widest part of the hips.
• Leg length — some charts also ask for a length: for knee highs, from the floor (heel) to the bend of the knee; for thigh highs and pantyhose, from the floor to the top of the thigh. This is what decides between the short and long versions of a garment.

Write each number down as you go, in centimetres if possible — most charts print cm first.

What each garment needs

Knee highs — two measurements

For knee high compression socks, you need the ankle (cB) and calf (cC), and occasionally the lower-leg length. That is it — two numbers, thirty seconds per leg.

Thigh highs — add the thigh

For thigh high compression stockings, add the thigh circumference (cG) and, on some charts, the floor-to-thigh length. The thigh measurement decides whether the top band will sit comfortably — too tight rolls and pinches, too loose slides down.

Pantyhose — add waist and hips

For compression pantyhose, some charts add the waist (cT) and hip (cH) measurements on top of the leg numbers. Maternity pantyhose are cut with a stretch panel for the belly, so they follow their own charts — measure exactly the same way, and the panel does the rest.

mediven Vitality Knee High 20-30 mmHg Compression Socksknee high — cB, cCmediven Comfort Thigh High 20-30 mmHg Compression Stockingsthigh high — adds cGmediven Comfort 20-30 mmHg Compression Pantyhosepantyhose — adds waist, hips

Reading the chart: size, then length, then fit

Every product page on our site carries the manufacturer's own chart under the Size & Fit tab — always use the chart on the product you are buying, because sizing differs between brands and even between lines of the same brand. Find the row where your ankle measurement fits, then check that your calf (and thigh, if asked) fall inside that row's ranges too.

Two more choices sit beside the size itself:

• Petite/short vs long lengths. Many lines come in two lengths for the same circumference size. If a knee high always seems to reach past your knee, or a thigh high bunches at the top, you likely need the petite or short length — it is the leg-length measurement, not the circumferences, that decides this. Taller wearers should check for the long version for the same reason.
• Wide-calf and plus fits. If your calf or thigh measurement lands outside the standard rows, look for the line's extra-wide or plus fitting — it is the same compression level cut for a fuller leg, not a stronger stocking.

What keeps a stocking up: the silicone band

Thigh highs stay put with a silicone topband — a soft band of silicone dots or a wide silicone strip knitted inside the top hem that grips the skin. For it to work, the band has to sit flat against clean, dry skin: moisturizer applied right before donning is the usual culprit when a thigh high will not stay up. Some knee highs use the same idea — mediven® knee highs, for example, offer a silicone dot topband that grips securely at the top without slipping down. If your thigh measurement sits at the very top of a size row, consider the next size or the plus fitting so the band lies flat instead of curling.

If you are between sizes — ask us

When a measurement falls on a boundary between two sizes, or your ankle says one size and your calf says another, do not guess. Message us with your numbers before ordering — the chat button at the bottom-right of any page is the fastest way — and we will check them against the chart for the exact product you are considering. We do this every day, it costs nothing, and we would much rather spend five minutes on your measurements than have the wrong garment turn up at your door.

And if the size is still wrong when it arrives: you get one complimentary size exchange per order, with shipping on us, provided the product is unopened in its sealed packaging — details in our FAQ. If you suspect the size is wrong, contact us before opening the package.

Quick reference

• Measure in the morning, on bare skin, on both legs.
• Knee highs: ankle (cB) + calf (cC).
• Thigh highs: add thigh (cG) + leg length.
• Pantyhose: some charts add waist (cT) + hips (cH).
• Ankle is the measurement that matters most; length decides petite vs long; wide-calf fits exist for fuller legs.
• Between sizes? Ask us first.

Once you have your numbers, browse the full compression range — and if you are still choosing a pressure level, start with our guide to 20-30 vs 30-40 mmHg. Prescribed stockings may also be eligible for reimbursement through your extended health plan; the whole process is on our Insurance Estimates & Claims page.

Measurements tell you the size; the compression level itself is a clinical decision. If a garment causes pain, numbness or colour change in your toes, take it off and speak to your clinician.