Did you notice that your legs started to go numb quickly? And then you have to crush them in a long, nasty way?
Do your legs often swell and hurt for no apparent reason?
Perhaps the skin on the legs is covered in an irritating mesh of blood vessels?
At least one yes answer - and you're at risk. Most likely you have varicose veins in your lower extremities. Because of this disease, the veins enlarge, and this already leads to a violation of blood flow - part of the blood goes from deep to superficial vessels.
There are even disappointing statistics about this score. According to him, in developed countries, 30% of women and 10% of men suffer from the disease. And those are just the ones that got to the doctors. As you can imagine, the numbers are actually much higher, especially among people over 50 years old.
Varicose veins start with mild discomfort and don't cause serious problems. That's how cunning he is. Because of "this nonsense" I don't want to go to the doctor, and the disease, however, is progressing. The skin gradually darkens, blood vessels swell like cords, and even trophic ulcers appear. Blood clots appear in the affected veins, which later enter other organs and stop the blood flow in them. As a result, a lethal outcome is possible.
Have you ever thought you could die of simple varicose veins?
People don't think about it. And it would be worth it.
After all, this is all easy to avoid - you just need to see a phlebologist at the right time. He will draw up a detailed complex treatment program and exercise will play an important role in it.
Let's face it, not all types of exercises are equally beneficial. Some exercises will relieve the pain in your veins, while others will seriously worsen your condition. Even urgent hospitalization.
I agree, it's worth distinguishing one from the other.
In this article, we will tell you in detail about the effective treatment of varicose veins by gymnastics.
But wait, you might panic sooner. Maybe you don't have varicose veins. Now let's compare your situation with the main signs of varicose veins.
How to Recognize Varicose Veins, Even If You're Just Getting Started
Some of the signs are visible to the naked eye, others can only be felt. Let's start with the outward manifestation.
There are four main ones:
- Blood vessel cobwebs appear on the skin, most often red, blue, or purple.
- The veins swell a lot - it looks like a rope stretched under the skin.
- Brown spots appear on the lower legs.
- The legs swell at night.
Another group of symptoms is not visible externally, but causes discomfort:
- Cramps and burning in the legs.
- Feeling of heaviness and pain.
- Itching near a distended vein.
- Severe pain after standing or sitting for a long time.
As you can see, varicose veins manifest in different ways. But even if you don't suffer from cramps and pain, that's no reason to delay your visit to the doctor. The longer you wait, the more the disease progresses. Someday, medical attention will not be a choice but an urgent need.
Therefore, if you have encountered any of the signs of varicose veins in your legs - contact a phlebologist immediately.
But what if in the near future you just can't go to the doctor? And the consequences of varicose veins scare you. Or cramps, burning, pain and heaviness in your legs get to you so much that you want to climb the wall. We will tell you how to help yourself in such a situation.
Discomfort of varicose veins will decrease if you follow these 7 proven recommendations
Let's talk about the less right away - these techniques don't have an instantaneous effect. Although we really liked that. But at least they gradually reduce the discomfort of varicose veins. Here are 7 tips:
- Practice gymnastics as often as possible. . . Any exercise is good for blood circulation. Except maybe heavy lifting and running. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.
- wear compression socks. . . It supports the walls of blood vessels and relieves pressure on them. Swelling and stiffness lessens, legs relax.
- Don't sit or stand in one place for too long - walk every hour.This will put additional pressure on the leg veins and prevent blood stasis. If you are standing while you work, try to sit regularly for a few minutes. With legs raised. If you're sitting for a long time, get up and walk for at least a few minutes every hour so that your legs pump blood back to your heart. The same is true for road trips - stop every 45-60 minutes for a short walk.
- Do not stand near open flames or hot radiators.This impairs blood circulation.
- eat less salty food. . . Salt in the body interferes with fluid circulation.
- Take a relaxing bath at the start of the day, not the end.. . . And it's better to do without them entirely.
- do not sleep sitting. . . In this position, blood circulation is difficult. Place legs horizontally to reduce stress on vessels.
Remember that even strict adherence to our advice will not cure you of varicose veins. Contact a phlebologist - this is the only way to get rid of diseased blood vessels forever.
The doctor will let you know about the next steps - sometimes it's taking medicine, sometimes it's a painless and quick operation, but always the treatment is accompanied by a change in lifestyle and exercise. We just talked about lifestyle. Now we are going to show you the most effective exercises.
These exercises will alleviate symptoms of varicose veins, delay their development and prevent complications.
The expansion of blood vessels is largely due to blood stagnation. Therapeutic leg exercises for varicose veins and edema help to lower blood pressure and maintain blood circulation. It also improves the tone of the venous walls - so that even with an increase in pressure, the vessels do not expand.
The choice of exercise depends on the stage of the disease. But in any case, follow the motto "It is better to walk and lie down than sit and stand. "
Walking, jogging, cycling and swimming are beneficial. The easiest way to walk is to engage your calf muscles, improving blood circulation. Change position frequently and lift your legs.
If your legs are not yet matted with thick varicose veins and only the initial signs of the disease are visible, the following actions will be helpful for you:
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Stand on your tiptoes, then slowly lower your heels until they touch the floor. Get on your toes again and repeat the exercise. |
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Raise your left leg and move it as if describing a figure eight. Repeat this with your right foot. |
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March into place and shake your arms vigorously. Raise your knees as high as possible - to waist level. |
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Stand up straight and stretch your arms in front of you. Sit down slowly. Make sure your knees don't go over the edge of your feet. |
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Sit down and place your hands behind the back of the chair. Lift your legs toward your torso and then extend them forward. |
In fact, its actions are aimed at improving blood circulation in the lower extremities.
Now let's look at how to work with your feet - this is an elementary exercise and doesn't require a lot of effort and a lot of time.
See how this is done:
- Lie or sit with your feet above your knees.
- Use your fingertips as a brush and draw a circle in the air. Don't move the entire leg, just the ankle.
- Pull the sock towards you to the limit. You will feel heat in your calf muscle.
- Stretch your toes and lower your heels, moving your calf muscles.
- Turn your feet - first outwards, then towards each other.
- Repeat the exercise several times.
You don't need special equipment for such activities. Sit on your favorite sofa, lift your legs and exercise your joints. Don't forget to exercise regularly for varicose veins and you can easily improve your blood circulation.
We have an even more effective set of exercises - with them you'll stretch muscles and joints not only in your legs, but in other parts of your body as well. But that will take more time to find. If this is not possible, stop at the previous exercises. If you can find extra minutes, do the above and this complex.
Still, it stimulates blood circulation throughout the body, not just the legs.
Activities for the neck and head:
- We make circular movements with the head - 10 in one direction and 10 in the other. Move slowly, feel your neck muscles working.
- We pull the chin to the chest 3-4 times, then pull the back of the head back, the same 3-4 times. Also slowly and carefully.
Exercises for shoulders and arms:
- We make circular motions with the shoulders forward and then back. We move our shoulders slowly, pull the muscles.
- We straighten our arms and make circular motions. You don't have to swing them like a windmill. Maintain a speed of 2 rpm. Don't hold your breath.
Exercises for the lower back:
- Put your hands on your belt. Rotate your lower back fully to one side and then to the other side 10 times.
- Lean back and forth. Keep your feet in the same place.
Leg Activities:Do 10 squats slowly. Additional weight cannot be used.
Press classes:
- Lie on your back and move your legs as if you were pedaling - use a bicycle.
- Perform the twist while lying down.
We completely forgot to talk about sports. But we are asked about this more often. The most rewarding sport for you is swimming. When immersed in water, the pressure in the circulatory system returns to normal. Swimming is beneficial not only for the heart, but also for the immune and nervous systems. It also strengthens your leg muscles.
How about another sport? Is it possible, for example, to run?
Not all exercises are good for your blood vessels. Let's move on to those who can seriously harm you.
Which exercises kill all the result of treating varicose veins
Let's say you are the ideal patient. You follow all the doctor's instructions: take medicine, wear compression underwear, change your lifestyle. Symptoms of the disease gradually disappear. You rejoice, the doctor rejoices.
And then you think, why not consolidate the result with regular training? And to completely forget about varicose veins and train your legs, you decide to squat down with a good load.
Bad idea. Now all the work has gone down the drain. Your blood vessels will expand even more than before.
What is the problem?
There are several exercises that increase the load on the veins and destroy them if the vascular walls are weakened:
- Strength exercises.
- Weight squats.
- Extended use of the exercise bike.
- Jumping high and long.
- Running on a hard surface.
No amount of treatment will help if you continue to run or get up regularly at the gym. So don't try fate.
5 Powerful Accelerators of Your Varicose Vein Recovery
Yes they are common. We've already talked about some of them. But believe me, they are really important and bear repeating.
If you've already gone to a phlebologist and started vascular treatment, these 5 tips will help you regain your health more quickly:
- Do not sit or remain in the same position for long periods of time. It is especially dangerous to cross your legs - it interferes with blood circulation.
- Do the recommended exercises regularly, walk more, and wear comfortable shoes.
- Wear a compression sock selected by your doctor.
- Monitor your weight. In obese people, the load on the venous system increases.
- After doing the exercises, lie on your back and rest your feet against the wall so that they are above your head. This will allow blood to drain from the legs.
But this is not a panacea. Again, these recommendations only help in combination with treatment. Without the help of a doctor, you will not be able to cope with the illness.
By the way, remember we talked about the symptoms of varicose veins? Let's say you found them. But only a phlebologist can make an accurate diagnosis. Remember that treatment starts with a correct diagnosis.
Where to get the diagnosis of varicose veins
The accuracy of the diagnosis of varicose veins in the lower limbs depends on the clinic's equipment. During patient examination, physicians perform duplex ultrasound angioscanning. It is a quick and painless method of examining superficial and deep vessels.
The doctor clearly sees the problem area of the veins and the obstacles to blood circulation. It quickly identifies weakened venous valves.
The study allows the phlebologist to obtain precise information about the vessels and draw up a detailed treatment plan.
But diagnosis is just the beginning. Any patient needs treatment first. It is important who will drive it and on what equipment.