Will exercise make varicose veins disappear? The answer is no. Exercise can’t make varicose veins disappear; however, it can improve your pain and condition. Exercise has proven beneficial in improving the blood circulation in the veins to the heart, which prevents a build-up in the veins, the main cause of varicose veins. Learn how exercise impacts varicose veins and what are best exercises are to try for varicose veins in this article. Get a consultation with the best vascular disease specialists in Brooklyn.
Impact of exercise on varicose veins
Exercise is good for your physical health and helps to ease the discomfort caused by varicose veins. It can’t completely prevent varicose veins nor cure them, but it can improve the circulation and tone your muscles, lowering the risk of developing them.
When you exercise, your veins widen to allow blood to pass through them because the heart pumps more blood to ensure you can perform the activity. Your body does this to ensure the part you train gets the necessary oxygen and nutrients during exertion. This process is called vasodilation. This widening of the vein shrinks after your workout. This way, your vein functions in the way it’s supposed to, by ensuring its contraction and relaxation to circulate blood.
Varicose vein prognoses vary widely for each patient; some veins are barely visible to the naked eye and painless, while some can be bulging and painful, or invisible and life-threatening. As they can be in different stages, it is impossible to choose what works best. That’s why your physical therapist may try a combination of exercises to see what works for you.
Keep in mind, not all exercises produce the same results. Exercises that strain your veins like heavy weightlifting should be avoided because they can worsen the existing varicose veins. Instead, moving exercises like walking, swimming, yoga, etc., are better choices for relieving pain and pressure in the legs.
Best exercise for varicose veins
Several low-impact exercises are good for varicose veins. Your physical therapist may recommend a combination of some for optimal results. It includes:
- Walking:
This is one of the simplest and easiest exercises to perform for varicose veins. It can improve your calf muscle pump action as you take your step every time, it squeezes the vein shut temporarily and pumps the blood in the upwards direction back to the heart. Doctors recommend doing it for at least 30 to 45 minutes or as much as you like.
- Swimming:
Swimming is another exercise that is very good for your joints, especially if you have arthritis, and is helpful to improve varicose veins. When you swim, it pushes your legs up and stops blood from pooling in them, which pushes it back to the heart. Additionally, water acts as a natural compression sock, which compresses the veins as well. So, you get a double effect on your veins. If you’re new to swimming, you can start with 30 seconds of activity and 30 seconds of rest. You can also use a kickboard to focus on kicking or trying out full strokes. When you get comfortable, you can increase your time in the swimming pool or the number of laps you perform. Always try to increase in small increments – no more than a 10% increase week to week.
- Cycling and bicycle legs:
Cycling, whether you go outdoors or do it on a stationary bike, will be helpful because it improves the muscle strength in your calves, like swimming. It doesn’t load on your legs; however, you need to closely monitor your duration and posture because long cycling sessions, bending over handlebars, can lower blood flow in the legs. If you don’t have a bike, lie on your back and raise your legs and bend them. Now, pedal in the air as you’re riding a bike.
- Yoga:
Some yoga poses can elevate your legs above your heart, which improves circulation. It involves stretching and holding poses while focusing on your breathing, which also helps your mind to relax. Incorporating these simple stretches and gradually going up to challenging poses can keep you moving forward towards a healthier you.
- Rebounding:
It means jumping up and down on a mini trampoline, which helps to lower blood pooling in your legs. You can do this for 5 minutes, three times a day.
- Leg lifts:
Performing a few sets of leg lifts at home in routine can stretch your leg muscles. To perform this, follow these steps:
- Lie on the ground on your back with legs straight.
- Lift your leg and hold it for a few seconds. Then, slowly lower your leg.
- Repeat the same on the other leg. Repeat this process several times for each leg.
- Calf raises:
This exercise helps to improve blood circulation by raising your feet off the ground. You can do it in a seated or standing position. These are immensely helpful if you are unable to walk. To perform this, follow these steps:
- Stand straight with your feet apart and hold onto a chair or wall for balance.
- Slowly raise your heels off the floor until you’re standing on your tiptoes and holding this position.
- Slowly lower your heels. Repeat it several times.
- Ankle pumps:
This is one of the best exercises you can perform while sitting on a chair or even lying in your bed. Just use your ankle, arch your foot so it points toward the ceiling. Then, point your toes and move them like you’re pushing a pedal. Repeat this exercise several times to circulate blood in your leg. Like calf raises, this exercise is good for people with mobility issues.
- Ankle rotations:
Moving or stretching your ankles will encourage blood to keep flowing through your legs to your feet and back, improving overall lower-body circulation, especially if you sit for a long period. To perform this exercise, follow these steps:
- Rotate your feet at the ankles in small circles first in one direction and then the other.
- Do it several times.
When should you go to a vascular disease specialist?
You should see a vascular disease specialist when your varicose veins are painful and interfere with your daily activities or don’t get better with exercise or other home remedies.
Exercise for varicose veins is a good option to lower your pain and discomfort, however, it won’t make them disappear completely nor cure them. These only help to improve blood circulation in the veins to prevent blood from pooling in them and return the blood to the heart. But for better results, you need to use them alongside your treatment of varicose veins to get better results.
Need help with varicose veins? Visit our vascular disease specialist in the Brooklyn clinic for proper diagnosis and treatment. For any vascular problems, call us on +1-718-367-2555. The Vascular disease Specialists at Doral Health & Wellness consistently have outstanding patient satisfaction ratings. The professionals at Doral Health & Wellness Vascular Health Department Brooklyn can improve your health and quality of life because of their vast training and experience. New Yorkers can get the greatest medical and surgical vascular care at Doral Health & Wellness Brooklyn. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.
