Why is it so hard to get my socks on and off?

[SashaPearce]

I feel ridiculous even typing this, but…

I am early 40s, reasonably active and I do a bit of yoga daily to help stretch me out as I’ve never been super flexible. I have gained some weight over the last couple of years that I want to lose, currently about a stone and a half overweight (sigh). I’m mentioning this for context as I wonder if it’s somehow linked, but can’t exactly see why.

Over about the last 6 months or so, I have come to find it such an effort to get my socks on and off that I actually dread it. I think part of it is that I’m finding the bending over more difficult, which is a flexibility issue, and I guess the solution would be upping my yoga practice. But even once I’m down there I am somehow finding it incredibly hard to get the socks off my feet. The socks just don’t seem stretchy or slippery enough, they cling to my feet, and I find it really hard to pull them down over my heels, and sometimes even once I’ve done that it’s hard to peel them off.

Am I going insane? I’m an apple shape and my ankles have always been the slimmest part of my body, so I really don’t think it’s the weight gain. It’s quite a while since I bought new socks, and I only wear each pair once before putting them in the wash, so I’m wondering if maybe lots of washing is the issue? Are they shrinking and getting less soft and stretchy in the wash?

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?! I’ve never had any problems before.

YABU - my socks flow nightly off my feet like rivers and so should yours, you’re a weirdo

YANBU - I, too, fight the nightly sock monster

I stand on one leg and bend my knee until I can reach my foot. Or bend over from standing to do them. Same process for putting them on and taking them off! I don’t have any difficulty doing them at the moment but I am a healthy weight and do loads of stretching. This thread is making me determined to keep up with the stretching for as long as possible!

I think it depends on the sock brand. My partner bought me some seasalt socks and after one wash they became horrible to pull on and take off, weren’t tight when on, but really hard to pull up and get over the heel and ankle. I gave up in the end and put them in a charity bag.
On the other hand, my cheapy Tesco socks are lovely! Slide on easily and so comfortable and very easy off as well.

Men's socks are easier, I think they are wider than women's. Also the bamboo fibre ones seem to slide on and off a lot easier than others.

A couple of years ago, I started buying I bamboo socks which seem to get a bit baggier the more they're washed and tumble dried - so I don't have any problems getting them off.

But I definitely have an issue getting them on, in no small part due to my excess stomach fat. As another pp said, I feel like my fat is pushing up on my lungs - which feels akin to breathlessness and strangulation when I bend down for any reason.
Yes, you young and slim folks can scoff 😂

I have a basket at the end of my bed which is about two thirds the height of the bed - if I sling my foot up on that, I can get my sock on. But I do need a bit of a breather before doing the other one.

If my weight approaches 9st, I get breathless bending over to put socks on, I think because my extra weight is pushing into my diaphragm.

I sit when putting on or taking off socks or I stand on the toe and pull my foot out. I'm currently going through a sock knitting phase and have found trainer socks with elastic added are perfect because they actually fit my feet.

Try "diabetic" socks. They are brilliant, easy to get on and loose around the top but still with grip. I am not diabetic, but have oedema now and then and they help so much. I'm not overweight (much lol) either.

Am in my dotage at 65 and can still touch my toes yay! I also try and stand on one leg for at least ten seconds every morning, well each leg. Someone on telly told me so I listened! Can't master getting the socks on standing up and couldn't be bothered even trying, it's not a rule and it's not necessary.

Are you a child, or short of stature? Many would think 9stone is skinny!

I kind of get this the opposite way around, I get really frustrated with socks because they are so tight and hard to get on. They definitely shrink! By the end of the day they have loosened up a bit and are OK to get off.

I am a size 4/5 so you'd think size 4-7 would be fine. They still shrink though. And they used to before I had a tumble dryer, so I don't think it's that.

9 stone is my goal weight (and what I weighed at university), I’d be super happy with that. Only 3.5 stone to lose… sigh.

Ah - best of luck on the weight loss journey. I lost loads, but it was due to severe illness. Trying to gain it when recovering is just as hard, but onwards and upwards!

When I lost weight I was really surprised at how loose my shoes were. Anything with a buckle (I favor Mary Janes) had to be cinched up a notch.

If you are a size 7 your feet are at the top end of the size 4-7 range so the socks probably are a bit tight.

No, I am not a child nor abnormally small, and to save you asking, I don't have an eating disorder either. I put the weight in to demonstrate it doesn't take a massive increase in weight to feel physical effects from it.

Are you sure you're wearing the right size? I never bend I just hook them off with a toe or stand on the end and pull my foot out backwards

Have you had your thyroid checked? Im not sure it would explain the sticking sock scenario, but low thyroid causes mobility issues. I had the same problem about bending over to put socks on etc. then it turned out my thyroid was doing bugger all. I've got meds now and none of that is a problem any more.

I second the thyroid issue. I had become so stiff in my legs I had moved my under wear to the top drawer as I couldn't bend down.
Now with the thyroid tablets I can stand on one leg to do my socks.
I also recommend Marks and Spencer super soft socks as they don't seem to shrink although they aren't very hard wearing.

Interesting - I do have a borderline under active thyroid but it’s diagnosed and I’ve been taking tablets for a while. Maybe I need to get levels checked again to see if I need to up my dose…

I have just watched what I do and I think you’re either buying socks too small to get over your heel or you are limited by flexibility. I am sitting on the bed and lift my foot up to the level of my other leg. How does that work if you try it?