PinkRottie84,
The persistent indentation you get when pressing over your shins, is actually a test used by doctors to check for "pitting edema". Pitting edema can be a sign of several things, which can include:
What causes pitting edema?
Edema is caused by either systemic diseases, that is, diseases that affect the various organ systems of the body, or by local conditions involving just the affected extremities. The most common systemic diseases associated with edema involve the heart (heart failure), liver, and kidneys. In these diseases, edema occurs primarily because of the body's retention of too much salt (sodium chloride). The excess salt causes the body to retain water. This water then leaks into the interstitial tissue spaces (the "space" between the cells), where it appears as edema (fluid).
The most common local conditions that cause edema are varicose veins and thrombophlebitis (inflammation of the veins) of the deep veins of the legs. These conditions can cause inadequate pumping of the blood by the veins (venous insufficiency). The resulting increased back-pressure in the veins forces fluid stay in the extremities (especially the ankles and feet). The excess fluid then leaks into the interstitial tissue spaces, causing edema.
So, it is usually recommended that a patient see his/her physician if they have pitting edema, to determine the underlying cause. In the mean time, yes, you should use your compression stockings, to help push that fluid back into the core.
Good luck.
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