Do you ever feel like your legs are a little heavy? Like they don’t want to move? This could be a sign that your leg’s blood circulation needs a boost. Poor blood circulation in the legs can cause all sorts of problems, including pain, swelling, and even infection. But luckily, there are several things you can do as a Floridian in Weston to improve your leg’s blood circulation and get them moving again. Here are four tips to get you started. Seeking guidance from a Weston leg circulation specialist is significant.
Wear Compression Stockings
Compression stockings are tight, squeezing your legs to help improve blood circulation. They can be worn for everyday use or just when you feel the need. To get the best results, wear compression stockings for up to six hours a day during any activity that causes your legs to swell. Some compression stockings are specifically designed for men and women, so make sure to pick the correct one for you.
Do Some Walking
It may seem like a no-brainer, but walking is one of the best ways to improve blood circulation in your legs. Remember that this does not necessarily mean you should go playing 18 holes (although if you enjoy golfing, wearing compression stockings would be a good idea while playing). For the best results, start slow with a half-hour walk. Increase the length of your walks as time goes on and work up to at least an hour every day.
Get Up and Move Around
Regularly standing up from a sitting or lying position helps blood circulation in the legs by increasing venous return. This is when veins take the pooled blood back to the heart, causing the leg muscles to contract and move it along. When blood is pooled in your legs, it can cause a feeling of heaviness and fatigue.
Stretching
Stretching can help in several ways to boost blood circulation in your legs. It helps straighten legs that have been cramped up from sitting too long or swelling caused by varicose veins, which are more common for people over age 50. Stretching can also happen during warm-ups before exercising, warming the muscles and boosting blood flow.
Don’t go overboard and overwork your legs the first few times you do any of these tips. Save that activity for later on when they are used to the new amount of exercise they’re getting. With time, your legs will be moving faster and standing up straighter than ever before.
Refrain from Smoking
There is no doubt that smoking can cause damage to your body. But it turns out one of the worst things smokers do for their leg’s blood circulation is smoke. Smoking can reduce blood flow by 50 percent, and over time it leads to poor oxygenation of the tissues in the legs, making them slow and fatigued.
Manage Your Weight
Being overweight can also slow down blood flow to your legs. Losing just 10 pounds can increase the return of venous blood back to the heart by 28 percent, bringing more oxygen and nutrients with it. It helps boost energy in the leg muscles while reducing fatigue and swelling.
There are plenty of things that can slow down blood flow to the legs, but luckily there are also some simple ways you can improve your leg’s blood circulation. It includes wearing compression stockings and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle.
Alexander James