Active and athletic despite weak veins

During a summer walk, Wiebke Borgolte noticed unusual swelling in her feet and legs. She went to her physician – and received her first prescription for compression stockings soon after. Find out why she fell in love immediately the first time she tried them on at a medical supply retailer, and why she wouldn’t ever want to be without her compression stockings.

Quad biking, kiting, gardening: Wiebke Borgolte loves being active out in the fresh air. “Outdoor activities, even those where you might get dirty, are totally my thing,” says the 47-year-old and laughs. “To compensate, I also enjoy dancing. That’s a little more elegant.” Whether during exercise, everyday activities, or her volunteer work for the Red Cross, she always has a loyal companion: her medical compression stockings. And she’s been wearing them for more than 20 years. 

Wiebke was in her early 20s when she went on a Sunday walk one summer with her parents and suddenly noticed changes to her feet and legs. “I was wearing shorts and open-toed shoes. When I looked down, I had a bit of a shock – my feet and legs had become strangely swollen,” Wiebke remembers. “During the summer, I often had swollen feet, but not to that extent. And one leg was even more swollen than the other one.”

Wiebke knew immediately: something wasn’t right. The very next day, she visited her family physician who was worried that she was at risk of thrombosis, so Wiebke was referred to a specialist. After a thorough examination, she got her answer: Wiebke was suffering from weak connective tissue which also caused weak vascular venous walls. “Additionally, the back of my knees had a design fault,” Wiebke explains with Rhineland humor. “This constricts the vessels, also resulting in congestion in my veins.”

Vein problems cannot be cured. But there was one option that would be extremely beneficial for Wiebke’s well-being and health: compression. “I was shocked in the beginning – I thought that couldn’t be possible! I was in my early 20s, not a little old lady,” Wiebke reports. “My physician then handed me some pictures that showed how my legs may develop if I didn’t wear compression stockings. I knew then that there was no way around it.”

Shortly after, Wiebke visited a medical supply retailer to get advice on her first medical compression stockings. “Of course, I imagined flesh-colored pantyhose,” Wiebke explains. “But wearing Capri pants, the young medical supply retail team was fashionably styled with Bauerfeind knee-high stockings in blue and white. It looked so cool and I knew that I had come to the right place.”

Wiebke’s risk of congestion was very high because of the weak connective tissue. The specialist consultants therefore recommended pantyhose. “I really used to hate those,” Wiebke remembers. “After they took my measurements, I was allowed to choose a color, and, disgruntled, I went for black.”

Then there was a big surprise when she tried them on. An employee joined Wiebke in the changing room to help her with the donning of the product using special gloves. “I looked in the mirror and thought: ‘Oh wow, I’ve got my legs back!’” Wiebke reminisced. “As a young woman, I used to play table tennis and I never wanted to wear those short black pants that were trendy in those days because my legs didn’t look as athletic as other people’s. But when I saw myself in the compression stockings, I was so happy. It was love at first sight.”

Since then, she hasn’t wanted to be without her compression products. “The pantyhose are like a second skin,” Wiebke points out. “The compression makes my legs feel pain-free and totally lightweight, almost weightless.”

Her current favorite is the VenoTrain micro with compression class 2. “The knit is great and gives amazing support,” Wiebke reports. “The surface of the VenoTrain micro is a little smoother than in other models, which is beneficial under long pants. The knitted fabric is breathable enough that I can wear the pantyhose during exercise as well – though I choose something more elegant for dancing.”

Wiebke immediately refutes common misconceptions about medical compression stockings, such as possible feelings of tightness. “I can assure you, it’s not a constricting feeling at all,” she emphasizes. “I also tried other products in the past but they weren’t right for me. Look, feel, cut, fit – all that’s perfect with Bauerfeind’s products. You don your compression stockings and they fit. Plus, they’re sturdy and durable most of all.”

And what is it like in the summer? “I would sometimes take them off, but immediately regretted it in the evenings because my legs were hurting so much,” Wiebke remembers.

The fashion-conscious Wiebke soon said good-bye to the simple black, preferring more extravagant stockings. “I really look forward to the new Fashion Colors every other year,” she exclaims. “Compression stockings can also be combined very fashionably, in the winter for example, with shorts and boots.”

The fun-loving Wiebke doesn’t want to hide her compression products. Quite the opposite: she wants to encourage others to take care of their health. “Many people neglect vein problems,” Wiebke regrets. “But nobody has to put up with tired and heavy legs during everyday activities. Plus, the risk of thrombosis shouldn’t be ignored. Thrombosis isn’t just painful but can quickly become life-threatening.”

A lightweight feeling in the legs, a high level of wearing comfort, and a fashionable look – there’s no reason for Wiebke to go without her compression products. “Just try it! It’ll soon become a habit,” Wiebke says encouragingly. “Your legs are always in perfect shape, and the colors and patterns look amazing. People won’t be able to tell that these stockings have a compression effect. So you’re benefiting your health and your figure. I’m incredibly grateful for that.”