varicose vein removal

A Quintessential Guide to Exercising With Varicose Veins

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Varicose veins affect at least 25 million Americans, according to the American Society for Vascular Surgery. While these bluish veins may not seem like a huge problem, those who are affected by it, 17% of men and 33% of women, are often left in pain, discomfort and even worse problems like cramps.

 

Fortunately, regular physical activity can help with reducing and preventing varicose veins along with treatments like varicose vein removal. But what exactly are the exercise routines that will help you address and prevent varicose veins?

 

 

Walking

 

Doctors recommend that you do at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day to reduce or prevent varicose veins. If you can’t complete that time in one go, you can break it down in 10-minute increments throughout the day and one of the easiest exercises that you can do is walking.

 

Start your day with a walk around the neighborhood then maybe, take the stairs instead of the elevator in the office. You could then end the day with a walk on the treadmill or somewhere outdoors.

 

Walking helps you strengthen muscles and bones, and it also keeps your weight in check to not put too much pressure on your lower extremities, which could lead to varicose veins.

 

 

Lunges

 

Lunges are not only great for cardio, but they’re also excellent at keeping your muscles strong and healthy. When you do lunges regularly, you are able to promote proper circulation in your body and especially in your legs. Make sure to hold each lunge for a few seconds to really work those muscles.

 

 

Cycling

 

If you’re more spending time outdoors than exercising in a gym, you can do cycling as part of your routine. This low-impact exercise doesn’t only keep your muscles and bones strong, but it also helps with healthy blood flow in your body. If you can’t go out due to some constraints, you can still do some cycling at home on a stationary bike or you can just lie on your back, draw your knees towards your chest and make a pedaling motion to get that stretch like you are riding a bike.

 

 

Leg lifts

 

Leg lifts are simple, but they are very helpful in stretching your muscles and promoting proper blood circulation in your lower extremities. This will help reduce the appearance of varicose veins and make your legs stronger.

 

Of course, you can’t forget about elevating your legs at the end of a busy day. After exercising or working, try to lie on your back and raise your legs up in the air to relieve your legs of any swelling and pain while helping with proper blood circulation.

 

 

The Takeaway

 

Exercise is definitely one of the best ways to not only address or prevent varicose veins but also keep yourself healthy for a long time. But if you still experience painful or unsightly varicose veins even with regular exercise, make sure to seek medical treatment right away, so that procedures like varicose vein removal could help you get rid of your varicose veins for good.

 

We specialize in diagnosis and treatment for any and all vascular health issues for patients in San Diego County, Orange County, and Riverside County. For more information or to set an appointment, please contact us.