The effect of compression stockings on the complaints well-being and sleep quality of pregnant women with restless legs syndrome: a randomized controlled study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of compression stockings on complaints, well-being, and sleep quality in pregnant women with restless legs syndrome.

Methods: This randomized placebo-controlled study was conducted on 63 pregnant women (placebo group [PG]=31; experimental group [EG]=32) at the Perinatology Outpatient Clinic of a Health Research and Application Centre in Turkey. Pregnant women in the experimental group wore compression stockings when they got up in the morning for 3 weeks and took them off at bedtime. Placebo group women wore a placebo stocking. Data were collected using the restless legs syndrome Severity Rating Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index, and the Application Satisfaction Form on the 22nd day of the first interview. Statistical significance was accepted as p<0.05.

Results: Post-test mean scores of both the experimental group and placebo group in the restless legs syndrome Severity Rating Scale (post-test:;8.87±5.27, 12.19±5.60; pre-test:;21.28±5.63, 21.0±5.61; p<0.05), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (post-test:;5.34±3.28, 6.12±3.12; pre-test:;10.15±4.23, 9.61±4.59; p<0.05), and Well-Being Index (post-test:;18.06±4.59, 19.00±4.47; pre-test:;12.71±5.85, 15.09±5.62; p<0.05) showed recovery according to the pre-tests. However, the post-test restless legs syndrome Severity Rating Scale of the experimental group was lower than that of the placebo group (p<0.05). The effect of their application started in 3.93±1.74 days on average in the experimental group, while it started in 5.09±1.55 days in the placebo group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Both applications reduced the severity of restless legs syndrome in pregnant women and increased sleep quality and well-being. However, compression stockings were more effective in reducing restless legs syndrome severity. Nurses can use compression and placebo stockings in the care of pregnant women with restless legs syndrome.

Clinical trial registration number: NCT05795868.