Compression socks. They squeeze the fluid back into the vessels to be returned to the upper body more efficiently for circulation. I sit on my ass all day working and I started to notice my ankles were retaining fluid, I’m fairly lean and can actually feel the excess fluid when I move my feet, it’s annoying as shit.

They are beneficial in a few ways and I always recommend them to people I see retaining fluid on their ankles and people who run or hike long distances. You can gain an appreciable amount of lower body recovery and stamina with just a pair of tall socks, definitely worth the investment.

And yes, another reason people need them is due to congestive heart failure. The heart becomes incapable of pumping hard enough to get that circulation accomplished. Fluid retention in the feet can definitely be a warning sign that cardiac issues are developing, especially if that fluid retention occurs at night when you are laying flat.

As someone who grew up in south Florida, where half the population is retired people, and summer temps are easily 95-100f with 100% humidity, I never understand why heat kills people in Europe. I see these old guys playing golf and shuffleboard in the middle of summer here. Yea it’s hot and it sucks, but they aren’t dying. It’s just gross, not lethal.

Does no one have air conditioning so they get stuck indoors and die like they are in an oven? That’s the only thing I can think of.