Best exercises to prevent varicose veins

Nowadays, varicose veins are one of the most common problems faced by men and women equally. It develops when veins get enlarged or stretched, resulting in weakened or poorly functional valves inside the veins. As per the U.S. Health and Human Service Dept., 10% of men and 25% of women are affected by this problem. Varicose veins cause restlessness, pain, and fatigue. People suffering from this disease sometimes encounter the feeling of throbbing, burning, and heaviness in the legs.

Home remedies to prevent Varicose Veins?

There are standard treatments available to treat varicose veins, but needless to say, these are quite expensive. Fortunately, there are several home remedies that will not only be light on the budget but reduces the pain and severity immediately.

1. Compression Stockings

Stockings or compression stockings are easily available in any pharmacy store and help you applying pressure on the legs. It helps in flowing blood normally from muscles and veins to the heart. Using high-knee compression can reduce the pain caused by varicose veins in just one week.

2. Plant extracts

Plant extracts have been proved useful in aiding people to reduce pain and stiffness caused by varicose veins. Before applying essential oils or plant extracts, these should be diluted first or used as a diffuser in aromatherapy.

It has been found in a survey that horse chestnut extract can reduce heaviness, leg pain, and itching. It is available in local health stores and online too. Also, sea pine extract is also a great pain killer associated with varicose veins.

3. Healthy Diet

Diet plays a crucial role in preventing or expanding any disease, based on how we take it. This same rule applies for varicose veins too. A potassium-high diet such as pistachios and almonds reduce the body’s water retention, helping varicose veins to cure faster.

If you are suffering from varicose veins or feeling continuous pain, then cut down the sodium-rich food from your diet as these cause our body to retain water. Overweight people tend to experience varicose veins more likely, hence, shredding a few extra pounds can help them reduce the pressure on the muscles and veins.

Along with that, having a flavonoids-high diet such as onion, cocoa, garlic, citrus fruits, broccoli can help reduce varicose veins quickly. Flavonoids help in blood circulation, causing blood vessels to relax.

4. Keep the legs high

Keeping your thighs parallel to your heart can immensely improve blood circulation. It reduces the pressure on the veins and helps blood flow back smoothly to the heart. A person suffering from varicose veins should keep their legs straight if they have been sitting down for a long time.

5. Massage

One of the best ways to stimulate the circulatory system and maintain blood flow smoothly is a gentle massage. However, some massage therapists avoid messaging the affected parts. Hence massage therapy is considered as a preventive measure. You can also use an essential oil while taking massage, as some essential oils have anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe your pain and support your cartilage and joints

6. Keep the Pace

If you suffer from varicose veins or have frequent pain in the legs, avoid sitting at one place for a long time. Even if your work expects to sit for a long time, take breaks and move around, or just change your position frequently. It is necessary to keep the blood flow in an essential manner.

7. Exercise

Exercise is the best way to cure any disease. It’s not limited to go to the gym and lift weights. You can take your body out of your comfort zone and make it work. Doing exercises regularly helps in better blood circulation and manages blood pressure. Many people have concerns that – can varicose veins be cured with exercise? The result isn’t sure. However, exercising regularly will not let the disease increase.

You can try some of the effective varicose veins exercise yogas to reduce the pain and prevent it from alleviating.

a. Tadasana or Mountain Pose

This is the most common pose that you help you get started with yoga. A correctly executed tadasana uses every muscle in our body. It reduces back pain, strengthens knees, thighs, abdomen, ankles, and buttocks. It also helps in keeping legs toned and forcing the body to be in the right posture.

b. Sarvangasana or supported shoulder stand

This pose comes with numerous benefits as it forces the entire body to perform against gravity. This pose is considered as one of the advanced yoga poses. It helps with your blood circulation as well as makes your legs and buttocks toned. If you are new to yoga or find this pose difficult, you can try its alternatives too: Supported Half Shoulder stand and Half Shoulder stand with a Block. Once it gets comfortable, you can try the Sarvangasana. This pose takes the stress off the legs and gets them to relax while providing several other benefits to the rest of the body.

c. Uttanasana

Standing forward bend or uttanasana is a proven asana to help people suffering from varicose veins and other leg pains. It stretches the most affected areas of the body. You can perform this asana by standing straight and tall, bending your torso forward while exhaling and reach down the floor. It gives the required stretch to the body’s lower half and lower legs.

d. Fish pose / Matsyasana

The fish pose works on almost every muscle and stretches the entire body. It is considered as one of the best poses for reducing varicose veins. It increases blood circulation, stretches legs, eases stress, and relieves cramps.

e. Cycling Pose

This pose is known as Pada Sanchalasana in Hindi and Sanskrit. This posture has been proven beneficial for hips, knee joints, and varicose veins. Lie on the ground in a horizontal position with arms on your sides. Lift your left leg, bend the knee, and bring it close to your chest. Now, lower your leg in the forward movement. Repeat this exercise with your right leg. Do this cyclic movement in both forward and backward directions. While performing this exercise, ensure that your heel doesn’t touch the floor.

Conclusion

Remedies and exercise, as mentioned above, are proven and effective ways to prevent varicose veins naturally. Though some of these remedies might not keep you protected from getting varicose veins like yoga, these will certainly help you manage the pain and prevent it from alleviating. If you have varicose veins problem, make sure to consult a specialist before trying out any remedy.

Dr. Abhilash Sandhyala is one of the best vascular surgeons in Hyderabad. He is a well-known specialist for varicose veins. He has successfully treated varicose veins for more than 5,000 patients. He has been performing the EVLT procedure for the past 4 years with great results.

You can visit Flow Vascular clinic at H.No: 2-22-298/2/A, Sree Krishna Diagnostic Center Building, 2nd Floor, Beside Kalamandir, KPHB Main Road, Kukatpally, Hyderabad.

You can also book an appointment on http:// https://www.drabhilash.com/book-an-appointment/

or call on (+91) 99896 49498, 99590 33037.

Visit https://www.drabhilash.com/ to know more about the treatment options for varicose veins