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Thanks to one of our successful vein treatments, your legs are finally free and clear of those unsightly varicose veins. And you want to keep them that way.
Millions of Americans seek treatment for varicose and spider veins, and understandably, they want their results to last. One of the best ways to do that is taking steps to improve circulation in their legs.
In this month’s blog post, Dr. Satjit Bhusri and the team of vascular experts at The Upper East Side Vein Institute outline great exercises to improve blood flow in your legs.
The road to varicose veins
For the millions of Americans who are dealing with varicose veins — they develop in nearly one quarter of adults — the root cause of the problem is often chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).
CVI affects between 10% and 35% of adults in the United States, and it's a condition in which blood isn’t being pumped out of your legs efficiently. This is due to malfunctions of the tiny, one-way valves in the veins in your legs.
Under normal circumstances, these valves are designed to close as blood passes through, preventing it from spilling backward. With CVI, the valves weaken and don’t close properly, allowing blood to stall and pool, engorging the vein, and sending it to the surface as a varicose vein.
Exercises that improve leg circulation
Though we just reviewed the role of the valves in getting blood out of your legs, they don't work alone. Equally as important are your calf muscles, which contract and push blood up and out of your legs.
So, beefing up your calf muscles and getting your blood pumping can go a long way toward improving leg circulation and preventing future varicose veins, especially after you’ve already been through vein treatments.
Some great exercises that accomplish just this include:
1. Walking
We live in a walking city, which is good news for your leg circulation. One of the best steps toward improving leg circulation is taking literal ones — walking. When you walk, the muscles in your calves contract, sending blood upward.
2. Calf raises
To target your calf muscles, we recommend heel raises. You can start by standing near a wall to balance yourself and simply lift onto your tippy toes. Repeat this 10 times, rest, and then repeat it.
As you get stronger, you can try doing these exercises one leg at a time, which makes the exercise more challenging.
3. Sitting heel raises
To target a different set of muscles in your calves, try sitting heel raises. To do these, sit on a chair with your legs at 90-degree angles. Place a weight on your thighs and then lift your heels. You can do a few sets of 10 raises while you watch TV.
4. Calf stretches
Stretching is exercise for your calves, and it's an important piece of the overall puzzle. To give your calf muscles a good stretch, you can try:
- Standing on a step and allowing your heels to stretch down off the ledge
- Stand in front of a wall with one leg in front of the other and lean forward (then switch legs)
- Downward facing dog pose — you place your hands on the floor, with your feet flat behind you, creating a triangle
A good stretching regimen for your calf muscles encourages better circulation and muscle health.
5. Skier pose
Have you ever seen those ski jumpers at the Olympics who launch into the air with their ankles bent and their skis in front of them? Well, we want you to do something similar on the ground. To do this, stand with your feet hip-width apart, keep your back straight, and lead forward a few inches to stretch and strengthen your calf muscles.
With a little effort on your part, you can improve circulation in your legs, which is a great way to manage CVI and protect your vein treatment results.
If you have more questions about exercising your way to better leg circulation, please don't hesitate to call our New York City office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 212-752-3464. You can also schedule an appointment online by clicking here.