Keeping the venous system in full efficiency is possible, indeed it must. The secret is to move as much as possible. Leg-saving exercises to be performed at any time.
If we are forced to stand or sit for a long time, change position often and, when possible, keep the legs raised: it will help the venous blood to flow towards the heart.
But it is the constant and frequent movement that is the real medicine for our veins: they have thinner walls than the arteries and are not able to contract. For this, they need the pump action of muscles.
The following table summarizes some exercises, to be performed in different positions (lying down, sitting or standing), which will be explained in detail in the following paragraphs.
| Postural position | Exercises |
|---|---|
| Lying down | Ankle flexion
Ankle rotation Flexion of the knees to the chest Foot thrust |
| Seated | Heel lifting
Lifting of the tips of the feet Lifting of the legs to the chest Rotation of the ankles with the leg raised |
| Standing | Stand up on tiptoe or lift your toes while resting only on your heels and rest the sole of your foot on the ground
Stand up on tiptoe holding one leg in front of the other. Move body weight back and forth |
When we lie down
Before sleeping and as soon as we wake up we dedicate a few minutes to our venous circle. With a pillow under your calves to lift your legs a little.
- Flex your ankles back and forth about twenty times.
- Draw circles by rotating the ankles, ten times inwards and ten times outwards.
- Stretch your legs up and draw circles with your ankles, ten times outwards and ten times inwards.
- Rest your legs on the pillow again and, with your hands behind the nape of your neck, flex to your chest first one knee and then the other, twenty times.
- With your arms at your sides, “pedal” in the air for 20-30 seconds.
If we sit so much
Forced by work to stay hours and hours in front of a computer? Don’t worry: here are some movements to perform, at regular intervals, for the benefit of our veins.
- Lift the heels and bring them back to the ground quickly for about fifteen times. Then lift the tips and put them back on the ground, together or alternating the feet, for about fifteen times.
- Holding on to the back edge of the chair and tilting your torso slightly back raise your legs to your chest and bring them back to the ground about fifteen times.
- In the same position, bring forward a leg semi-stretching it, touch the ground with the tip of the foot and return to the starting position; Repeat with the other leg thirty times in all.
- Always holding on to the chair, raise one leg by turning the ankle ten times clockwise and ten times counterclockwise. Then repeat with the other ankle.
Standing exercises
Even standing still, standing and for a long time does not help the blood to rise to the heart. We therefore try, even if we cannot move from our place, to activate the muscle pump from time to time.
- Stand up on tiptoe while remaining briefly on the toes, descend slowly resting your whole foot on the ground. Lift the toes resting only on the heels, and then return to the starting position. Repeat the sequence ten times.
- Stand up on tiptoe holding one leg in front of the other. Move the weight of the body back and forth about ten times. Then bring forward the other leg and repeat.
Moving
Obviously walking or doing another type of dynamic physical activity is even better: it sets all the muscles in motion, with a more complete action.
For this reason, as soon as possible, we walk: we give up the car and public transport whenever possible, or we leave the car a little far from our destination or get off the bus at the bus stop before.
Remembering to walk briskly: walking slowly and with frequent stops is not so good for the legs.
Whenever possible, we add arm movements and breathing: inhale by slender the arms up and exhale bringing them back along the sides.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
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