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Posted by Mike Phipps on March 15, 2022
Hello! I am Kate Makin, Ability Superstore’s resident Occupational Therapist (OT). I am here to answer your mobility aid queries. I also write articles and guides to assist you in choosing the right mobility and disability aids.
As an OT, I work with a variety of individuals who have various mobility issues, are all ages and have many different illnesses, injuries, long-term disabilities, or who have undergone recent surgery, such as a hip replacement.
For this blog, I thought I would give you some hints, tips, and advice about a really convenient, popular, frustration free and invaluable disability aid – the Soxon Sock Aid. This is a great sock and dressing aid and something that I feel as an occupational therapist (OT) I have a lot to write about!
So, what actually is a sock aid? When I first show someone a sock and stocking aid, they can often be quite unsure what it is and how it works!
Typically, a sock and stocking aid, like the Soxon Sock Aid looks like a long piece of material with two long straps either side. Unlike some mobility aids though, where the name can be confusing, a sock aid really does what it says – it aids you in putting on your socks!
The Soxon Sock Aid is made from a soft, gentle material, making it easier to slide on and off your feet. The material also absorbs excess moisture that feet can have, so it helps to keep feet healthy.
The sock applicator has two long looped tapes on either side, and it is these that prevent the need to bend down to put your socks on. These long tapes are used to lower the soxon sock stocking aid to the ground, and then to pull the aid back up again until the sock is on the foot, reducing the need for any bending.
This daily living aid is very simple to use and makes the everyday tasks of dressing much easier. Firstly, you just need to roll your sock, or stocking, onto the aid. I find that different people have different methods of doing this.
Whatever method you use, you just need to roll the sock onto the aid and your sock needs to be at the top of the aid to hold it in place. You then lower the sock aid, using the long looped tapes, down to the floor. These loops can be placed on your arm, or wrist, or held by hand.
Next, you slide your foot into your sock, all the way to the end. Then you gently pull on the long tapes to pull the sock aid upwards. This movement pulls the sock up over your foot, your ankle and onto your leg, until the sock, or stocking, is fully on your foot. You would then repeat this process for your other foot.
I have even had people who can manage this sock assist aid in such a way that they can use it with just one hand!
For one-handed use, it usually involves positioning the sock aid between your legs whilst sat down and then applying the sock, or stocking, onto the daily living aid.
Unfortunately, a soxon sock slider is not suitable for putting on TED, compression stockings, compression socks, nylon tights, or panty hose, but it should be compatible with all other everyday casual socks and stockings, such as cotton socks – even pop socks!
Being able to get dressed is something that we can take for granted, but for many of the individuals that I work with who have various illnesses, or physical difficulties, getting dressed can be a long, difficult, everyday frustration and a daily battle.
I find that managing and wearing socks and shoes is often one of the biggest problems that people can face when it comes to getting dressed, as this task usually involves bending, stretching and reaching down.
For many people who have back issues, or a hip replacement, or who have further hip, or knee surgery, bending down to put on their socks can be painful and difficult. For others, who have mobility, or balance issues, they can feel unsteady and at risk of falling over when they bend. This is why the soxon sock stocking aid is ideal, as it means that you can put your socks, or stockings on, without needing to bend, stretch, or reach down.
For some people, this is ideal when they are recovering from surgery, such as from hip, or knee surgery, or from a short term illness. For others, this may be a long term difficulty, but this simple, low-cost dressing aid can mean that people can continue to manage putting their socks on by themselves, without having to rely on another person.
Wearing socks is necessary for those who have thin, or fragile skin, or who are less mobile and therefore more likely to feel the cold and have cold feet. This bestselling hosiery assist aid is also made from a very soft and gentle material making it ideal for thin, or fragile skin, even swollen feet.
The material is also super absorbent with anti-bacterial properties and therefore absorbs excess moisture that feet can have.
This frustration-free aid is also machine washable, making it a clean and hygienic product. The Soxon Sock Aid has also been specially designed to gently contour the feet.
This dressing aid will provide a good fit for most shape, or size of socks, or stockings. It is also extra roomy for wide feet.
This mobility aid means that people can manage to put their socks, or stockings on, safely and easily, without the need to bend, stretch, or reach down.
As an OT, one of the main things that I love about my job is that often, very simple solutions can make a big difference to someone’s daily life. To me, the soxon sock stocking aid is exactly one of those daily living aids.
The Soxon Sock Aid is a very simple design and is very easy to use, but its benefits are huge!
I have worked with individuals who have needed a home carer, or a family member, to put their socks on for them each day whilst they are recovering from surgery. This simple disability aid has however, enabled them to be able to do this for themselves.
This is much more rewarding for the person and this aid makes the task of putting socks on quick and easy to manage. I have also worked with countless individuals who have difficulty in bending and reaching down, and this can be due to a wide range of reasons; from back pain to only having the full use of one arm. In these situations, a sock aid has meant that they can still manage to put their socks on without the need to bend, or over reach, and this has therefore reduced their levels of pain, tiredness and fatigue.
Finally, in my role as an OT, most of the people that I work with have some kind of difficulty with walking and getting around safely and many have reduced balance and are prone to falls. For these individuals, the soxon sock stocking aid is ideal, as it means that they can sit down to safely put on their socks and stockings without the need to bend, with the minimum amount of hassle, and thus reducing the risk of them losing their balance and falling.
So, as an OT I cannot sing highly enough my praises for the Soxon Sock Aid! It is a bedroom aid that has been around for many years, but this particular model is ideal due to its soft material and its contoured style. It is easy and efficient to use and a simple mobility aid that can make daily life so much safer and easier and avoids an everyday frustration.
I hope that this mobility aid blog has been useful and provided some further insight into the soxon sock slider.
There are other dressing aids and sock assist aids that can help with everyday tasks that Ability Superstore sells, so I've put together my Top 5 of sock aids for further reading. Do feel free to contact me to discuss any of your queries when it comes to selecting a sock aid for yourself, or for a loved one, or to answer any of your questions regarding any daily living aid.
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Kate Makin qualified as an occupational therapist (OT) in 2001 with a BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy. She is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT).
As a registered occupational therapist (OT), Kate is a science degree-based, health and social care professional, taking a “whole person” approach to both physical and mental health and wellbeing. This enables individuals, of all ages, to achieve their full potential and lead as independent life as possible.
Click here for Kate’s registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Throughout her career, Kate has worked in many different clinical settings, in both the public and private sector. Kate has been running her own independent occupational therapist business since 2009. She is passionate about disability aids and adaptations, with a specialist interest in postural management and seating.
As Ability Superstore’s resident OT, Kate is on hand to offer professional advice and answer any queries.
