Improve circulation in your legs while binge watching
Binge watching your favorite series or games this week? . . . Avoid painful legs!
Are you in to Game of Thrones or the Handmaid’s Tale? Maybe you are an avid NFL or MLB fan and can’t wait for a day to lounge around and catch up on the series, or binge all the games in the line-up for the day. Sounds like and amazing day for a lot of people, however, prolonged periods of sitting or standing in a stationary position can have an adverse effect on the circulation in your legs. This sedentary activity pared with poor food and beverage choices, can increase a person’s risk of lower extremity pain, aching legs, leg discomfort, ankle swelling, and increase the potential for blood clots. Don’t panic, I am not suggesting that you not watch what you enjoy, but I am suggesting you take a few breaks from the couch potato position to get the blood moving again. Instead of training the dog to get your next beverage out of the fridge, try some low impact exercises while you walk to and from your next snack. The following exercises will help improve the circulation in your legs and prevent your favorite show from becoming an enemy.
Leg exercises to improve leg circulation
- Calf raises: From a standing position, with your legs slightly bent at the knee, flex your calf muscles pushing your weight onto the balls of your feet, squeezing your calf muscles until you are on your tip toes, and then relax back down with your feet on the floor. 8 – 10 repetitions each hour.
- Straight leg raises: From a standing or lying down position. Flex your foot up, knee straight, engage your quad (thigh muscle) and raise your leg off the ground about 30 – 45 degrees. Hold it momentarily there and then relax it back down to the floor. 8 – 10 repetitions each hour.
- Squats: For this one, you don’t even need to take your eyes off the screen. Stand in front of your chair or couch, feet shoulder width apart, with your heels just about touching the front of the surface you are sitting on. Keeping your head up (so you don’t miss your show), bend at the knees and hips as if you are sitting back down, stopping the motion just before your bootie hits the cushion. Then stand back up pushing your weight through heels and squeezing your thigh muscles and back side until you are standing tall. 5 – 10 repetitions each hour.
If these exercises are too strenuous, please do not try them and cause further harm to yourself. Consider evaluation by a qualified lower extremity vein and vascular specialist for thorough evaluation and suggestions of alternate ways to improve your venous health.
Although there is no cure for varicose veins and venous insufficiency, there are certain varicose vein home treatments you can to help relieve some of the symptoms of aching legs, swelling of legs, itchy legs, leg cramps and restless and heavy legs. Varicose Veins Homeopathic Treatment For those who prefer a homeopathic approach for managing…
Read MoreAre you worried about your varicose veins? A lot of people who have venous insufficiency or vein disease do not realize they have it or how straightforward it is to treat. Symptoms of venous insufficiency or vein disease are progressive and can start as early as your teens and twenties, but will only get worse…
Read More
Can You Cure Varicose Veins? There are several conservative therapy and management of vein insufficiency options to help with the symptoms associated with varicose veins. None of these methods will prevent or fix the underlying problem. There is no cure for varicose veins or venous insufficiency, once a vein is abnormal (fails to return blood…
Read MoreWhat jobs contribute to getting or worsening varicose veins? When you are in the business of taking care of other people, sometimes you get so busy taking care of them that you forget to take care of yourself. People with active lives and active legs, like fire fighters, paramedics, nurses, police officers, teachers, flight attendants,…
Read MoreCauses of Varicose Veins During Pregnancy There are a number of reasons why women get varicose veins during pregnancy. First, the volume of blood circulating in the body increases to help support your growing baby. However, veins don’t have a way to accommodate the extra volume so sometimes the veins bulge, itch, are painful to…
Read MoreWhat is a Vein Specialist? When the venous system becomes incapable of doing its job effectively, that is when a vein specialist is at their best. A vein specialist is a medical provider whose main focus is the treatment and management of venous disease. Vascular medicine is composed of two different systems, arterial and venous.…
Read MoreCan I Use Essential Oils For Varicose Veins? Essential oils can help to temporarily alleviate symptoms associated with the underlying problem of varicose veins, but they do not prevent, treat, or cure venous disease itself.
Read More
There are several treatments available for painful varicose veins According to recent studies, 50 to 55 percent of women and 40 to 45 percent of men in the United States suffer from some type of vein problem. Varicose veins affect half of people 50 years and older, typically found on the thighs, inside the leg,…
Read More
High Temperatures Will Irritate Varicose Veins As hot as it gets in Arizona, we can’t blame the sun for our varicose veins or spider veins as it is not the cause. However, our hot Arizona summers do cause diseased leg veins to get worse, as do hot tubs, heating packs, and prolonged hot baths. Warmer…
Read MoreDoes smoking cause varicose veins or spider veins? The noxious chemicals in cigarettes can do serious damage to your veins and arteries, whether you use tobacco products on a day-to-day basis or on occasion. The signs of damage from smoking often shows up in our vein center patients through the development of spider veins…
Read More