Putting on socks: what's making it hard?

Quick answer: Putting on socks gets hard for different reasons — can't bend or reach or working from a seated position — and the tool that helps is different for each. Pick the one closest to you.

Getting a sock on means bringing your hands down to your foot, either by bending forward at the hips or by lifting the foot onto the other knee, then stretching the opening wide with both hands and pulling it up over the heel. The pull needs fingers that can hold fabric under tension, and compression stockings ask for much more of that than ordinary socks. If the reach is what stops you, for example after hip surgery, the answer is different from when it's your fingers.

Which is closest to yours?

I can't bend down or reach Putting on socks when you can't bend or reach Sit on a firm chair, open the sock wide before it goes near your foot, and raise the foot only as far as your precautions or comfort allow.
I do it sitting down Putting on socks from a seated position A sock aid does the part you cannot do: it holds the sock open at the end of two cords so your foot goes in without your hands going down there.

None of these sounds like you? Start from a condition instead, or pick a different task.