Quick answer: A sock aid lets you put on socks without bending down to your feet. It's a curved sleeve with long cords or a handle. Stretch the sock over the sleeve, lower it to the floor, slide your foot in and pull. Sit in a firm chair with arms, and after hip or knee surgery, follow your surgeon's rules.
Pulling on a sock takes a deep bend, a long reach and a firm pinch at once, which stiff joints, weak hands or a new hip or knee can make hard. In 2022, 60% of people living in US assisted living and other residential care communities needed help with dressing, whether from another person, an assistive device or both, according to CDC data.
What is a sock aid, and how does it work?
A sock aid holds a sock open at floor level, so older adults and anyone who can't reach their feet can slide a foot in and pull the sock up while seated. MedlinePlus lists a sock aid for putting on socks, and a reacher for taking them off, among the equipment that helps after knee or hip surgery.
| Tool | How it works | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flexible sock aid | A bendable plastic sleeve on two long cords | Everyday socks | Loading the sock takes two hands and some finger strength |
| Rigid sock aid | A firm, molded collar on a handle | People who prefer one handle to two cords. On some, the handle doubles as a long shoehorn (NHS leaflet). | Bulkier, and very thick socks may not fit over the collar |
| Stocking donner | A frame that holds a tight stocking open while you slide your foot in | Compression stockings your doctor prescribed | Ask your doctor or nurse which type suits your stockings |
| Reacher or dressing stick | A long grabber or hooked stick | Pushing socks off and picking them up | Not made for pulling socks on |
How do you use a sock aid, step by step?
These steps follow an NHS hospital leaflet on dressing after hip surgery, which shows both types.
- Sit down in a firm chair of moderate height with arms. After a hip replacement, MedlinePlus says not to dress standing up.
- Load the sock. Gather it and fit it over the top of the sleeve, snug around the curves. On a rigid aid, face the sock's heel into the curve, pull the sock down until the heel sits fully outside the collar, and keep the top of the sock below the top of the aid.
- Lower it to the floor in front of your foot, using the cords or handle.
- Slide your foot in as far as it will go.
- Pull the cords gently, one after the other, or tug the handle. The aid draws the sock up your leg and slides out, leaving the sock on.
- Check for wrinkles at the toes and heel, or ask someone to look, since NIDDK notes that with lost feeling you may not feel a pebble in your sock.
- Put on shoes before you get up, using a long-handled shoehorn. The National Institute on Aging advises nonskid, rubber-soled, low-heeled shoes.
Which socks are easiest to put on with a sock aid?
For elderly men and women alike, the easiest socks are ones that stretch over the sleeve without a struggle and slide off it cleanly. We found no study comparing sock types on sock aids, so use these as practical checks, and practice with the socks you plan to wear.
| Sock trait | Why it matters on a sock aid | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| A top that opens easily | The top has to stretch over the sleeve or collar and stay open while your foot goes in | It should slide onto the aid without straining your fingers |
| Everyday thickness | Heavy boot socks and thick wool socks are harder to stretch over the sleeve and may not fit a rigid collar | Try your thickest pair on the aid before you rely on it |
| A length that suits the aid | On a rigid aid, the top of the sock must not go past the top of the aid (NHS leaflet) | Crew socks need less gathering. Bunch knee highs onto the sleeve first |
| The right size | A sock that's too small fights the sleeve. One that's too big leaves extra fabric to wrinkle at the toes and heel | Use the brand's size chart, and size up if you're between sizes |
If you have diabetes, NIDDK also advises skipping tight socks and elastic stockings. For grips, colors and buying for a parent, see our guides to easy-on socks for elderly people and how diabetic socks should fit.
How can you put on socks after hip or knee surgery?
Follow the exact rules your surgeon gives you. The NHS says a physiotherapist or occupational therapist will talk to you about managing daily activities before you go home. Common rules after a hip replacement, from MedlinePlus and the NHS:
- Don't bend your hip past 90 degrees, or bend down to touch your feet or ankles.
- Don't cross your legs or ankles, and dress sitting on a stable chair or bed.
- Use a reacher, a long-handled shoehorn, elastic shoelaces and a sock aid.
- Dress the leg that had surgery first, and undress it last.
After a knee replacement, the NHS advises avoiding bending down and twisting your knee as much as possible, and says most people need to wear compression stockings for at least 6 weeks. The next section covers putting those on.
Researchers have questioned the standard hip rules. A 2016 Cochrane review found only very low-quality evidence on whether hip precautions and equipment help. In a Bristol study, only 22 of 97 people said they followed every precaution for the first six weeks. Don't drop a rule on your own. If your rules make dressing too hard, ask your doctor or occupational therapist which ones you still need.
What if your doctor prescribed compression stockings?
Keep wearing them. MedlinePlus says not to stop without talking to your provider, and non-binding socks don't replace them. These stockings are tight on purpose, so they have their own method:
- Morning. Put them on before you get out of bed, when your legs are least swollen (MedlinePlus).
- Inside out to the heel. Turn the stocking inside out down to the heel, slip your foot in, line up the heels, then ease it up in stages without forcing it, as a Kent Community Health NHS leaflet describes.
- Tools. MedlinePlus suggests rubber dishwashing gloves (the Kent leaflet prefers non-latex), a little baby powder or cornstarch, and a stocking donner from a medical supply store or online.
- Check. Smooth out wrinkles. If you get pins and needles or numbness, the Kent leaflet says to take the stockings off and contact your healthcare professional.
Donning aids help. In a Swiss study of 40 adults over 65 with severe vein disease, 73% could put on at least one of two stocking types unaided, and 93% could with foot slips and frames. If you still can't manage, tell your provider, since stockings come in different pressures and lengths (MedlinePlus). With diabetes, compression is a choice to make with your doctor; see diabetic socks vs compression socks.
How can a caregiver help someone put on socks?
Let them do what they can. The National Institute on Aging advises letting a person with Alzheimer's dress on their own for as long as possible, and handing over one item at a time or giving step-by-step instructions.
- Set up. Seat them in a firm chair with arms, and sit on a low stool in front of them so you aren't bending over.
- Talk it through. Give one short cue at a time, such as "toes in," then "heel down."
- Hold it open for them. Stretch the top wide with both hands, ease it over their toes, line the heel up with theirs, then draw it up the leg. A sock aid is built for people dressing themselves, so for a helper, bare hands are often simpler.
- Look while you're there. Sock time is a natural moment for the daily foot check that NIDDK recommends for people with diabetes, including between the toes. NIDDK says to call the health care provider right away about a cut, blister or bruise that doesn't start to heal after a few days.
- Shoes before standing. NIA advises against walking on floors in socks.
If dressing keeps getting harder, ask the doctor about a referral to an occupational therapist. Medicare.gov says Part B helps pay for medically necessary outpatient occupational therapy for daily activities like dressing, when a doctor or other health care provider certifies the need. Our diabetic foot care checklist covers the daily foot check, including what to do if you can't see or reach your feet.
Are loose-top socks easier to pull on?
Usually, for the leg part of the job. A tight cuff has to be stretched over the heel and dragged up the calf, while a loose, non-binding top opens with less effort. We found no study that measures this for everyday socks. The closest evidence is on prescription stockings, which MedlinePlus says should feel tight and can be hard to put on. In the Swiss study, reaching the front of the foot and grip strength were linked to success, and a sock aid takes care of the reach.
Loose doesn't mean baggy. A sock that slides down bunches underfoot, and NIDDK says not to hold up loose socks with rubber bands. Pick the right size instead.
Where Mi Socks fit in
We make Mi Socks, so weigh this accordingly. Mi Socks have a loose, non-binding top with no tight elastic ring, in crew and knee-high lengths and sizes M, L and XL (see the size chart). They have no grips, so wear non-skid shoes for walking, and they are not compression socks. Browse our non-binding socks, or try the crew 6-pack at $35.99 ($6 a pair). It ships free in the US, like any order of $19 or more.
Frequently asked questions
Will insurance pay for a sock aid?
Probably not under Original Medicare: Medicare.gov says Part B covers equipment that's used for a medical reason and typically only useful to someone who is sick or injured. The CMS equipment list doesn't name sock aids, but it turns down grab bars as a "self-help device" and raised toilet seats as a "convenience item," both "not primarily medical in nature." Medicare Advantage plans may offer extra benefits, and other insurers set their own rules, so ask your plan.
How do you take socks off without bending?
Push the sock over your heel and off your toes with a reacher, which MedlinePlus lists for taking off socks, or a dressing stick. The NHS leaflet says some rigid sock aids have a slot in the handle for this, and that shoehorns help too.
When should you get a sock aid, and for how long?
Before the operation, so you can practice: MedlinePlus advises getting your home ready well ahead of knee or hip surgery so you can test your setup. In the Bristol study, patients learned to use sock aids at a class 2 to 4 weeks before surgery and were asked to use aids for socks for 6 weeks. Ask your surgeon when your own rules end.
Can you use a sock aid if you have diabetes or neuropathy?
Yes. Check that the sock lies smooth at the toes and heel, since lost feeling can hide a fold, and check your feet every day, with a mirror or a helper if bending over is hard (NIDDK). If you have a foot wound or a dressing, ask your doctor or nurse how to put socks on over it.
Can a sock aid put on knee-high socks or tights?
Yes. The NHS leaflet says sock aids can be used in a similar way for tights. With knee highs, gather the extra length onto the sleeve first.
Sources
- MedlinePlus: Taking care of your new hip joint.
- MedlinePlus: Getting your home ready: knee or hip surgery.
- MedlinePlus: Compression stockings.
- NHS: Recovering from a hip replacement.
- NHS: Recovering from a knee replacement.
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust: How to get dressed.
- Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust: Applying graduated compression stockings.
- National Institute on Aging: Alzheimer's Caregiving: Bathing, Dressing, and Grooming.
- National Institute on Aging: Falls and Fractures in Older Adults.
- NIDDK: Diabetes & Foot Problems.
- CDC, NCHS Data Brief 506: Residential Care Community Resident Characteristics: United States, 2022.
- Medicare.gov: Occupational therapy services.
- Medicare.gov: Durable medical equipment coverage.
- Medicare.gov: Compare Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
- CMS: Durable Medical Equipment Reference List (NCD 280.1).
- Sippel K, et al. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg, 2015;49(2):221-229 (study of donning devices in adults over 65).
- Smith TO, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2016 (review of hip precautions and equipment).
- Lee GRH, et al. Acta Orthop, 2017;88(5):496-499 (survey of hip precautions after hip replacement).
Written by the Mi Socks team. Sources checked October 2026. This guide is general information, not medical advice.