Health Care

Tips To Combat Swollen Legs

After months of confinement and now the summer heat, our legs may not be as light as we want. We talk to a specialist to find out what habits do work for swollen legs.

Quarantine days, gradual Deconfusion and now the intense heat of summer may have affected the health of our legs. Dr. Enric Roche, director of the Barcelona Vascular Clinic, helps us to take an X-ray of the situation and see what we can do to have those legs that we all want.

Why do my legs swell?

Our legs are made to move, walk, run, bike, skate, So inactivity has a double effect, muscular and circulatory.

At the muscular level, “if there is a lot of immobility and little physical exercise, the muscle mass can be reduced”.

At the vascular (circulatory) level, “the reduction in activity decreases the venous pump effect of the twins’ sole, which can lead to edema or fluid retention.”

Consequences of inactivity

In addition to influencing the legs’ appearance, it is easier to have varicose veins than swelling or heaviness, although it will depend on each case because not all of us start from the same situation.

“In house confinement where the person can move and take short walks, there should not be any vascular problems,” on the other hand, if you already have venous insufficiency, some symptoms may worsen.

Varicose veins can get worse. “They do not have to appear in inactivity situations, but those who already have varicose veins may see their situation worse.”

And is that inactivity and, correctly, sitting for a long time, “do not favor venous return and, especially in cases of people who already suffer from varicose veins, it can worsen their condition and promote phenomena of inflammation, swelling or phlebitis.”

There may be less heaviness and swelling. These two annoying sensations in the legs are more frequent when we spend a lot of time standing without moving, but, during confinement, it has been more prevalent than we are sitting and that we have put our feet on a table, chair, etc., which by lifting them has helped to decongest the legs.

Why do our legs hurt when we move?

But these discomforts do not have to be related to vascular problems; they are only due to lack of exercise. As the doctor explains, “it is more common to notice tiredness and the appearance of stiffness after the activity that not properly heaviness,” it is more, as he adds, “walking alleviates the feeling of heaviness of the legs.”

What if we are confined again?

Of course, what you have to do is take advantage of the moments when we are allowed to go out for a walk or exercise outdoors with the protection conditions that have been set. On the other hand, keep a good activity also at home. Let’sLet’s see all the keys to combat swollen legs.

Self-massage for light legs

Massage twice a day with cream for cellulite or tired legs, depending on your problem:

Duration. About 5 minutes per leg.

How to do it. It combines upward glides with the whole hand, with others like kneading (but done with the open side, without digging into the leg).

More comfortable. Help yourself with a domestic electric massager.

At the end of the article, you will find creams that can come in handy.

1. Exercises To Relieve Swollen Legs

The ideal is to do a minimum of physical exercise of at least 30-45 minutes a day, which you can even divide into sessions of 20 minutes in the morning and 20 in the afternoon, or if you prefer, do a 45-minute class.

Toe on tiptoe. Performing toe-heel exercises activate the calf muscle group to assist the heart in blood circulation. It is “a good stretching exercise, but it should be progressive.”

Dance. It is highly recommended because you can move around a lot, and “it contributes in a special way to improving mood.”

Cycle lying on your back and raising your legs. It is an excellent exercise “both to strengthen the legs and the abs.”

Stretches. Doing stretching sessions is also highly recommended to stimulate circulation and avoid leg discomfort.

Follow cardio routines. If you have more desire to move, follow one of these routines, but it is better to be low impact cardio if there are already circulatory problems and “adjusting the exercise at each level, individually.”

2. Does Footwear Influence Swollen Legs?

You can be at home in sneakers, trainers … even barefoot.

Going all day in sneakers “is not especially bad, but I recommend trying to wear comfortable but complete footwear” because the most important thing is “to facilitate a correct step.”

It is also not wrong to go barefoot or exercise barefoot as long as there are no “footprint defects (flat feet, varus feet, etc.) that can cause discomfort depending on the exercise.”

Being overweight affects the appearance and health of the legs

We must confess that we have paid more tributes in quarantine than usual and who else who least added a few pounds. As the specialist points out, this is bad for the legs’ circulation because “being overweight translates into an increase in body higher ich implies a more significant load at the level of the extremities.

And if you suffer from venous insufficiency, it will be more aggravated, “so it is time to return to our usual weight to stop having swollen legs.

3. What Should We Improve In Our Diet

To relieve leg swelling, the ideal is to follow a diet such as the Mediterranean one, rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, which helps to lose weight and which, due to the amount of fiber it provides, helps to combat constipation, one of the aggravating factors venous insufficiency.

Also, we must lower our dishes’ salt content, since the sodium that it contains favors fluid retention.

Moderate consumption of cold meats, smoked, pickled, soups, broths, and creams, cured cheeses, pizzas, sliced ​​bread, sauces, processed meats … and increase the consumption of foods rich in potassium, because there are studies, such as a Canadian one published in the scientific journal The Lancet, which they assure is more effective in preventing fluid retention.

The most abundant foods in this mineral are legumes, powdered milk, nuts and dried fruit, parsley, avocado, and mushroom.

4. Softer Legs

Having your legs hydrated is the first step in making them look prettier—a light lotion like this moisturizing milk with aloe vera and avocado oil.

Cream with cold effect

Always try to alternate times of standing with sitting. In the case of people with problems of venous insufficiency and this alternation, We recommend “wearing compression stockings or socks and performing specific exercises to mobilize the feet and legs, to minimize the risks of eventually generating problems with thrombophlebitis or thrombosis.”

It was nothing like giving yourself that massage we were talking about with a cream with a numbing effect to decongest the legs. This is Natura Bisse Essential Shock Intense Cryo-Gel.

Firming cream

Firming creams can be useful if combined with a proper exercise routine. We like this one because it has pure caffeine and silicon.

Cream with color

Just as we use makeup on the face, we can also use it on the legs to cover imperfections such as marked veins or varicose veins. We like the Body Bronzing of

Anti-cellulite cream

Do cellulite creams work? They are an excellent complement to a healthy diet, exercise, and body massages. This is Elancyl Slim Massage Anti-Cellulite Concentrated Gel.

Cream to relax the legs

If you notice your legs swollen from the heat, when showering, finish spraying your legs with freshwater and finish off the play by giving yourself a good massage with an arnica cream that improves the skin’s appearance in the area.

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