Many people experience leg pain and a sensation of swelling which can be linked to visible or less visible varicose veins. By improving blood circulation and engaging the calf muscles, you can reduce discomfort.
Varicose veins affect many, especially older adults as the valves in the veins that transport deoxygenated blood back to the heart may weaken over time—like many other body functions due to aging. Therefore, it's crucial to consider and review your lifestyle. Small daily changes can significantly impact if you want to avoid leg pain.
Leg Pain – What You Can Do to Alleviate It
Although varicose veins are not dangerous, they can cause leg pain. However, you can get help by doing simple exercises yourself, such as calf raises. To perform calf raises, stand up straight, then lift your heels so that your toes bear the weight of your body. You will feel your calf muscles activating. Calf raises are thus exercises for the calves, and the muscles assist the blood in moving up the veins, aiding the valves. To make this exercise more challenging, you can perform it on a step so that you go deeper and the calves work harder. For those who want to advance, adding weight on the legs is common in gyms. However, this is not necessary. What's important is to do the exercise and do it regularly. A good tip to remember to perform this exercise is to do it every time you brush your teeth, every time you use the microwave, or during every TV commercial break. A few minutes a day is sufficient.
Exercise Increases Blood Circulation and Helps with Leg Pain If You Have Varicose Veins
Exercising is also beneficial for alleviating or preventing leg pain and varicose veins. It doesn't have to be intense exercise forms; walking is perfectly fine—you just want to get the blood circulation going. Consider buying a pedometer or downloading a pedometer app on your phone to make it more fun for yourself. You can then compete against yourself to see how many steps you can accumulate. Ideally, you should aim for 10,000 steps a day, which you can achieve by taking two or three walks a day. However, if your health does not permit this, you should certainly be satisfied with significantly fewer steps. The most important thing is to keep moving!
Don't Sit Still – Leg Pain is Eased with Some Movement
Many people sit too much. They sit in front of the computer, in the car, in front of the TV, at the dinner table. Sitting too much is not good because it impairs blood circulation. But it is also not good to stand up for long periods because then the veins have to work hard to pump the blood up.
A good practice is to occasionally elevate your legs. This makes it easier for the blood to return to the heart and thus avoids the increased pressure that can cause varicose veins.
If you experience pain and discomfort in your legs, it might also be a good idea to use compression stockings to increase blood flow. Generally, maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is key to sustaining good blood circulation.
