Have you noticed that your legs start to numb quickly? And then you have to knead them in a long and unpleasant way?
Do your legs often swell and hurt for no reason?
Maybe the skin on your feet is covered with an irritating network of blood vessels?
At least one affirmative answer - and you are in danger. Most likely you have varicose veins of the lower extremities. Due to this disease, the veins increase, and this already leads to a violation of blood flow - part of the blood comes from the deep veins to the superficial ones.
There are even disappointing statistics on this result. According to him, in developed countries, 30% of women and 10% of men suffer from this disease. And those are the only ones who have reached the doctor. As you can imagine, in reality the numbers are much higher, especially among people over the age of 50.
Varicose veins begin with mild discomfort and do not cause serious problems. He's so cunning. Because of "such nonsense", I do not want to go to the doctor, and the disease is progressing in the meantime. The skin gradually darkens, blood vessels swell like ropes, and even trophic ulcers form. Blood clots appear in the affected veins, which then enter other organs and disrupt blood circulation in them. As a result, a fatal outcome is possible.
Have you ever thought that you can die from simple varicose veins?
People don't think about this. And it would be worth it.
After all, all this is easy to avoid - you just need to consult a phlebologist in time. He will create a detailed program of complex treatment and in it the exercise will take a significant place.
Let’s face it, not all types of exercises are equally useful. Some exercises will relieve the pain in your veins, while others will seriously worsen your condition. Until emergency hospitalization.
I agree, it is worth distinguishing from each other.
In this article, we will tell you in detail about the effective treatment of varicose veins with gymnastics.
But wait, you could panic early. You may not have varicose veins at all. Now let's compare your situation with the main signs of varicose veins.
How to recognize varicose veins, even if it is just beginning
Some of the signs are visible to the naked eye, others can only be felt. Let's start with the external manifestation.
There are four main ones:
- Blood vessel cobwebs appear on the skin, most often red, blue or purple.
- The veins swell up a lot - it looks like a rope stretched under the skin.
- Brown spots appear on the lower legs.
- Legs swell in the evening.
The second group of symptoms is not visible from the outside, but causes discomfort:
- Cramps and tingling in the legs.
- Feeling of heaviness and pain.
- Itching near a varicose vein.
- Severe pain after long standing or sitting.
As you can see, varicose veins manifest in different ways. But even if you do not suffer from cramps and pain, this is not a reason to delay a visit to the doctor. The longer you wait, the more the disease progresses. One day, medical help will not be a choice, but an urgent need.
Therefore, if you find yourself with any of the signs of varicose veins of the legs - consult a phlebologist immediately.
But what if you just can't get to the doctor in the near future? And the consequences of varicose veins scare you. Or the cramps, tingling, pain and heaviness in your legs have brought you so much that you already want to climb the wall. We will tell you how to help yourself in such a situation.
The discomfort of varicose veins will be reduced if you follow these 7 proven recommendations
Let's talk right now about the downside - these techniques do not give an immediate effect. Although we would really love to. But they at least gradually reduce the discomfort of varicose veins. Here are 7 tips:
- Do gymnastics as often as possible. . . Every exercise is good for blood circulation. Except maybe lifting heavy weights and running. But let's go ahead.
- Wear compression stockings. . . It supports the walls of blood vessels and relieves pressure on them. Swelling and tightness disappear, legs relax.
- Do not sit or stand in one place for a long time - walk every hour.This will put extra strain on the veins in your legs and prevent blood stagnation. If you stand while working, try to sit regularly for a few minutes. With raised legs. If you sit for a long time, get up and walk for at least a few minutes every hour to keep your feet pumping blood back to your heart. The same goes for travel - stopping every 45-60 minutes for a short walk.
- Do not stand near open flames or hot radiators.This disrupts blood circulation.
- Eat less salty foods. . . Salt in the body interferes with fluid circulation.
- Take a relaxing bath at the beginning of the day, not at the end. . . And it's better without them.
- Do not sleep while sitting. . . In this position, blood circulation is difficult. Place your legs horizontally to reduce the load on your blood vessels.
Remember, even strict adherence to our tips will not cure you of varicose veins. Consult a phlebologist - this is the only way to get rid of diseased blood vessels forever.
The doctor will tell you about the next steps - sometimes it is taking medication, sometimes it is painless and quick surgery, but always the treatment is accompanied by a change in lifestyle and exercise. We just talked about lifestyle. We will now show you the most effective exercises.
These exercises will alleviate the symptoms of varicose veins, slow down their development and prevent complications.
Dilation of blood vessels is largely due to blood stagnation. Therapeutic leg exercises for varicose veins and edema help lower blood pressure and maintain blood circulation. It also improves the tone of the venous walls - so that even with increasing pressure, the veins will not dilate.
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 to sit and stand".
Walking, running, cycling and swimming are helpful. The easiest way to walk is to engage the leaf muscles, improving blood circulation. Change positions often and raise your legs.
If your legs have not yet been entangled in thick varicose veins and only the initial signs of the disease are visible, then the following actions will be useful:
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Stand on your toes, then slowly lower your heels until they touch the floor. Get back on your toes and repeat the exercise. |
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Lift your left leg and move it, as if describing an eight. Repeat this with your right foot. |
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March in place and wave your arms vigorously. Raise your knees as high as possible - to waist level. |
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Stand up straight and stretch your arms out in front of you. Sit down slowly. Make sure your knees do not go beyond the foot. |
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Sit down and put your hands behind the back of the chair. Lift your legs toward your torso, then stretch them forward. |
In fact, your actions are aimed at improving blood circulation in the lower extremities.
Now let's look at working with the feet - this is an elementary exercise and does not require much effort and time.
Here's how it's done:
- Lie down or sit with your feet above your knees.
- Use your fingertips as a brush and draw a circle in the air. Do not move the whole leg, just the ankle.
- Pull the sock towards you to the limit. You will feel warmth in your calf muscles.
- Stretch your toes and lower your heels by moving the leaf muscles.
- Turn your feet - first outwards, then towards each other.
- Repeat the exercise several times.
No special equipment is required for such activities. Sit on your favorite couch, lift your legs and exercise your joints. Don't forget to do regular varicose vein exercises and then you will easily improve your circulation.
We have an even more effective set of exercises - it will stretch the muscles and joints not only of the legs, but also of other parts of the body. But this will take extra time to find. If this is not possible, stop at the previous exercises. If you can take extra minutes, it turns out, do the above and plus this complex.
However, it stimulates blood circulation throughout the body, not just in the legs.
Neck and head activities:
- We make circular movements with the head - 10 in one direction and 10 in the other. Move slowly, feel how your neck muscles work.
- Pull the chin to the chest 3-4 times, then pull the nape towards the back, also 3-4 times. Also slowly and carefully.
Exercises for shoulders and arms:
- We make circular movements of the shoulders forward and then back. We move our shoulders slowly, pull the muscles.
- We straighten our arms and make circular movements. You don’t have to wave them like a windmill. Maintain a speed of 2 rpm. Don't hold your breath.
Lower back exercises:
- Put your hands on your belt. Rotate your lower back completely to one side and then to the other side 10 times.
- Lean back and forth. Keep your feet in one place.
Foot activities:Do 10 squats slowly. Extra weight cannot be used.
Print hours:
- Lie on your back and move your legs like pedaling - exercise your bike.
- Perform a twist while lying down.
We completely forgot to talk about sports. But we are most often asked about that. The sport that pays off the most for you is swimming. When immersed in water, the pressure in the circulatory system returns to normal. Swimming is useful not only for the heart, but also for the immune and nervous systems. It also strengthens the leg muscles.
What about other sports? Is it possible, for example, to run?
Not all exercises are good for blood vessels. Let's move on to those that can seriously harm you.
Which exercises kill the whole result of varicose vein treatment
Let's say you are an ideal patient. You follow all the doctor's orders: take medication, wear compression underwear, change your lifestyle. The symptoms of the disease gradually disappear. You rejoice, the doctor rejoices.
And then think, why not solidify the result with regular training? And in order to completely forget about varicose veins and train your legs, you decide to squat with a good load.
Bad idea. Now all the work is down the drain. Your blood vessels will dilate even more than before.
What happened?
There are a number of exercises that increase the load on the veins and destroy them if the vascular walls are weakened:
- Strength exercises.
- Squats with weight.
- Extended use of exercise bike.
- Jumping high and long.
- Running on a hard surface.
No treatments will help if you continue to run or work out regularly in the gym. Therefore, do not tempt fate.
5 powerful accelerators of your recovery from varicose veins
Yes, they are common. We have already talked about some of them. But trust me, they are really important and worth repeating.
If you have already consulted a phlebologist and started vascular treatment, these 5 tips will help you regain your health faster:
- Do not sit or stand 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.
- Use compression stockings selected by your doctor.
- Track your weight. In obese people, the load on the venous system increases.
- After performing the exercises, lie on your back and lean 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. You will not be able to cope with the disease without the help of a doctor.
By the way, remember we talked about varicose vein symptoms? Let's say you found them. But only a phlebologist can make an accurate diagnosis. Remember, treatment begins with a correct diagnosis.
Where to get a diagnosis of varicose veins
The accuracy of the diagnosis of varicose veins of the lower extremities depends on the equipment of the clinic. During the examination of the patient, doctors perform ultrasound duplex angioscanning. It is a quick and painless method for examining superficial and deep blood vessels.
The doctor clearly sees the problem area of the veins and the obstacles to blood flow. Quickly identifies weakened venous valves.
The study allows the phlebologist to obtain accurate information about blood vessels and make a detailed treatment plan.
But diagnosis is just the beginning. Every patient needs treatment first. It is important who will do it and on what equipment.