Eight tips to relieve and preserve your legs
- Get moving, walk! Even at the office, to combat poor venous return and a sedentary lifestyle, get up regularly and take a few steps. When seated, you can also move your feet by standing on tiptoe or rolling out your ankles.
- Exercise regularly, with appropriate footwear. Physical exercise activates circulation. Walking, swimming, cycling, dancing and aqua-biking encourage venous and lymphatic return. Avoid sports such as tennis, squash, basketball and handball, which dilate the veins and slow venous return.
- Have your legs massaged regularly. Draining massage (lymphatic drainage) will help relieve tired, heavy legs. You can also massage your legs yourself using a specific blood circulation cream (fresh gels available from chemists).
- Avoid heat sources: sunbathing, hot waxing, underfloor heating, hot baths, saunas...
- Use low temperatures on the legs. End your showers with a jet of cold water on your lower limbs. If you get the chance, walk in the cool water.
- Limit salt and pay attention to your diet. Pay attention to your lifestyle and diet. Constipation and excess weight increase pressure in the veins.
- Wear clothes that are not tight around the waist, chest or calves. Compression tights (or compression stockings) are prescribed by professionals and do not fall into this category.
- Encourage venous return during sleep. Raise the foot of your mattress by 10 to 15 cm. Sleep in a cool room.
When should you see your doctor?
Consult your doctor or healthcare professional in case of pain.
Caution: If your legs become swollen, heavy or more painful, or if your veins become visible, an angiologist will be able to make an early diagnosis and implement preventive measures and treatment.
If you are pregnantor taking hormone-based medication, you need to keep an even closer eye on your legs.
Lymphatic drainage is a gentle, slow manual technique that stimulates the lymphatic system and venous return. It is particularly effective against water retention.
It therefore has positive effects on heavy legs and edema of various origins. It acts on the body's evacuation, recovery and cleansing systems (lymphatic, venous, digestive, skin, urinary). It helps detoxify the body and boosts immunity by cleansing the lymph nodes.
Drainage will help treat discomfort in cases of heaviness.
More information on lymphatic drainage here.
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Thank you for reading.