The New Year is the season of lifestyle changes, and there are so many that can benefit you. At Virginia Vein & Wellness Center, we want to help you overcome leg pain and varicose veins. So in the spirit of helping you make healthy choices, here are some things you can do to reduce pain and varicose vein symptoms in your legs.
Exercise
The importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. Varicose veins are often caused in part by poor circulation, but when you get moving, your blood gets pumping and circulation improves. Heavy or intense exercise like weight-lifting and long-distance running can put a lot of pressure and stress on your legs, but lower-impact activities like brisk walking, jogging and cycling can do a world of good for them. As you exercise your muscles, you will also be helping your veins to open up and causing your blood to flow more efficiently.
Keep a Healthy Weight
Being overweight or obese puts stress on your entire body, including your legs. It requires your heart to work harder to pump blood and puts pressure on the lower half of your body. This pressure can cause blood to pool in your legs and bring about pain and the risk of developing varicose veins. Maintaining a healthy weight will ease the stress your body has to deal with and lower your risk of vein disorder.
Elevate Your Legs
The modern American does a lot of sitting or standing every day. If you have a desk job that keeps you in one place most of the day, you can help your legs stay healthy by propping them up on a footstool. This will improve circulation, as your blood will be more level with your heart and won’t have to work as hard to get through your body. Another good idea to help your blood flow better is to take regular breaks from prolonged sitting or standing and move around.
Limit Salt Intake
Having a high-sodium diet can also harm the health of your legs. Consuming large amounts of salt causes your body to retain fluid, sometimes to the point of excess. This can lead to swelling and added pressure on your legs, which can lead to pain and varicose vein problems. Salt is also generally a good part of your diet to limit, so having a low-sodium diet will go a lot further to improving your health than just improving your legs.
Avoid Tight and Stressful Clothing
Modern fashion tends to be tight, but this is especially true of apparel like pantyhose, high heels, elasticized socks, girdles and even belts. This kind of clothing constricts blood flow and keeps your veins and muscles from working the way they should. Consider wearing looser clothing in your day-to-day life if you want to experience less leg pain.
Compression
Compression therapy is a kind of treatment that uses gentle and applied pressure to increase blood flow, decrease swelling, reduce pain and encourage healing. It can be applied to many parts of the body, but wearing compression stockings is one of the main ways that this treatment is used. Where tight socks and hose constrict the legs, compression socks are designed and fitted to help your legs feel better. At Virginia Vein & Wellness Center, we offer custom compression sock fittings to help your legs heal from stress and pressure. Contact us to let us start helping you take care of your leg and vein health today.