BSN Medical 110910 JOBST Stocking Donner, Large Calf

Works great but price has changed since we bought the first one

I've owned the regular size of this sock donner for a couple of years. I'm crippled from a spinal infection and can't bend over far enough to reach my feet. The regular-sized Jobst is amazing; I even purchased the $100 Doff-N-Donner system and ended up giving it to my rehab physician to give to someone else. With the regular-sized Jobst, I can fit the sock on the inner holder, stand up and like a toe dancer, just aim my foot down through it. Works every single time; when I think of two years of fighting those sock donners with the cloth straps, etc., and they actually ended up costing more! I've got pretty muscular calves so when I found out that Jobst made a large size, I ordered it. It hasn't worked for me. I wear gym socks over my support stockings--just the regular ones you can get the Wal-Mart, etc. They won't fit over the larger stocking holder at all; I ripped up a pair trying. Worse, the angle for this device isn't vertical like the regular size; it's angled backward so it's impossible for me to stand and simply slide my foot in. Additionally, my spine won't flex enough for me to reach the handles to pull on it. So, I haven't been able to use it. I'll probably end up giving this away to someone who needs one of these and can't afford it. I'd strongly recommend that someone wanting to use this fine appliance, get the regular one and try it first. When this says it's large, it's enormous.

I bought the regular one for my mom and she never used it so she sent it to me for my back surgery. That REGULAR size helped to get my foot in, then I would get stuck and had to pull the donner off the stocking, then pull the stocking up from the ankle by hand. I checked YouTube videos and figured out to reach in from the SIDES and to start the back of the stocking over the donner's semicircle "smile" first. Then it everted easily. But my 16" calf got stuck. I ordered the LARGE size donner which says it accommodates a 24" calf. It fit mine easily. Both donners are well made, no wobbles or snags. To evert the stocking, I had the donner on the bed beside me, black handles leaning against my chest to brace it. Then I moved it to the floor to put my foot in. Other reviewers have said it didn't work when they tried to follow the directions on the large donner. I think one reviewer said they HAD to stand up to pull the stocking up. One reviewer said standing up was impossible due to the increased angle of the semicircle component. Maybe differences in users' lower leg dimensions? I'm also thinking that the increased slant of the semicircle on the large size is to help get a stocking over a large calf (with less firm muscular tissue) without needing to bend down further to stretch the stocking back, up and over over the calf. As you can see from the pictures, the footprint of of each donner is about the same. Compared to the regular donner, the large donner semicircle is about an inch wider, and the donner is an inch or two wider and deeper front to back. The large donner is about 5" taller, though. So for ease of starting stocking on the donner, sit on the bed, donner with handles up beside you. Reach hands in from the narrow SIDES of the donner (between the tall bars going up to handles) to dangle stocking inside semicircle "smile" and catch top of stocking on bottom curve of smile. Lean donner handles against your chest to brace it. Now stretch top around sides of semicircle and start everting it, still from the sides. Reaching in from the sides made all the difference for my poor hands. Larger size donner works perfectly for me. This makes putting on compression stockings much less painful for hands. Don't give up on the device until you try watching a couple YouTube videos, reaching in from the sides, experimenting with stocking heel everted a little more or a little less on the donner, and sizing up or down.

This may be the most poorly designed, poorly made, and least effective product I have ever purchased and that is saying something. It might work okay with regular socks, but with compression socks, which are long, stiff, and hard to put on (that's why I bought this product), then this device is simply not strong enough to be able to be used in the way that it claims to be designed to be used. It is flimsy and not very effective at all. This is such a disappointment because I don't have much hand strength and was very hopeful that this could help with putting on my compression socks. However, I'll be returning it right away.

If you need to wear compression stockings, you will probably need a Stocking Donner. Before I had the Stocking Donner I was about to forget about wearing them. It was a difficult job for me as I have a bad shoulder and don't have the full use of it. I invested in the Stocking Donner and it works great. It saves time and a whole lot of effort. I would suggest getting a Stocking Donner if you will be using compression stocking. It is a great tool to have.

Product arrived on-time and in good condition. The product works adequately, but the instructions are sketchy at best. It would be very useful if the vendor provided a "how-to-use" video on-line, to help the client understand how to use this product to put on compression hose. I have been wearing compression hose for several years, and I have figured out a way to use this product to partially aide with putting on my compression hose, but at best it is awkward and at times painful. We need better detailed instructions from the vendor. PLEASE provide a HOW-TO-USE-VIDEO!

Item is as described and works well. Well constructed and makes putting on compression socks an easy task. Very pleased !