If you’ve recently been diagnosed with or noticed the existence of varicose veins in your legs, you may already be researching ways to eliminate them. However, if you’re simply looking to minimize their impact or increase your overall comfort level, try incorporating daily exercise into your routine.
The key to successful exercise for varicose veins is to focus on low-impact activities. The reason for this is because high impact exercise like running or jumping increases your blood pressure, thus putting undue pressure on varicose veins. Skip the jogging and try low-impact exercise activities, instead.
Let’s explore a few potential workout routines and low-impact activities that can help improve your quality of life while also assuaging the pain and discomfort associated with varicose veins.
Recommended Activities
Walking/Hiking
The duration and intensity of each of these suggested physical activities is up to you, but you can try walking or hiking for 30 to 45 minutes at a time, as often as you like. Since walking is relatively low impact, you can experiment with how often you want to incorporate it into your schedule.
Swimming
If you’re hoping for a good full-body exercise that is a bit more challenging, try swimming. Water-based exercise is great because the need to remain horizontal in the water pushes your legs up and stops blood from pooling in them. Since swimming is a bit more challenging, try warming up by using a kick board, then alternating between strokes like the breaststroke or freestyle. Try starting out with 20 to 30 minutes at a time, three times a week, and work up to 30-45 minutes four or five times a week, depending on your comfort level.
Yoga
Another possible exercise to try that’s great for full body exercise is yoga. Yoga’s great because, not only is it low-impact, but it’s also weight bearing, so it’s good for toning and stretching the entire body. Just be sure to avoid variations like hot yoga and stick to slower, more relaxing varieties. Not all yoga classes are created equal! Be sure to also check out Tai Chi for similar cardiovascular and stress-relieving benefits.
Strength Training
If you’re looking for more muscle development, try some basic strength training at the gym or at home with free weights or pilates. Some exercises specifically beneficial for the legs include leg lifts and calf flexors, and you can always try weight machines rather than free weights, if you’re unsure about the correct form or where to begin with free weights.
Cycling
One last type of workout that’s good for exercising the legs is cycling. You’ll just want to make sure to be careful you don’t spend too much time leaning over the handlebars, as this can reduce blood flow to the legs, which is unhelpful for varicose veins.
Get Moving & Contact Us Today!
In conclusion, any low-impact exercise is highly recommended to decrease the pain of varicose veins, as well as help prevent the development of circulation problems if they’ve started.
Of course, exercise is also great for your heart and for prevention of common chronic conditions like adult-onset diabetes or obesity. If in doubt, consult with a physical therapist or your doctor for more workout ideas.
If you’re interested in treatment or surgery options for your varicose veins, contact us here at Summit Skin & Vein Care. We have years of experience working with patients to improve their quality of life.