Varicose veins are not a purely cosmetic problem, but can also promote pain, heavy legs and diseases such as thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. With these three exercises, you can actively combat spider veins and varicose veins.
Varicose veins are not only a thorn in the side of many people visually, they can also cause symptoms such as pain or heavy legs and even trigger diseases such as thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
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How do varicose veins develop?
The veins in our legs are responsible for pushing blood back to the heart to maintain circulation and constantly exchange deoxygenated blood for fresh blood. If the venous valves no longer function properly, the blood vessels bulge, the blood pools in the legs and makes the veins visible as varicose veins. The tendency to develop varicose veins is mainly caused by hereditary vein and connective tissue weakness , but is also promoted by pregnancy or old age . In addition, lifestyle factors that reduce blood flow in the body and damage the vessels, such as smoking, inactivity or being overweight, can increase the risk of varicose veins.
Interesting: Spider veins are not the same as varicose veins. Spider veins are smaller, more superficial and only represent a cosmetic problem. Varicose veins, on the other hand, can cause serious consequences such as venous thrombosis.
In addition to a healthy diet rich in vegetables , compression stockings and Kneipp baths, exercising the leg muscles in particular has a preventive and therapeutic effect against spider veins and varicose veins. Above all, the vein pump in the calves should be activated several times a day, which you can do by walking, climbing stairs, jogging, cycling or swimming. In addition, the following 3 exercises help to promote blood return to the heart and start the venous pump.
3 effective exercises against varicose veins
1. Calf raises:
You can do this simple exercise while standing or sitting, making it practical and easy to incorporate into your everyday work, for example directly at your desk.
That’s how it’s done:
- Hold on to a wall or railing for safety.
- From a standing position (or alternatively while sitting with your feet completely on the ground) lift both heels at the same time and actively tighten your calves.
- Slowly and under control, lower your heels back down to the floor and repeat the movement.
- To increase the intensity, stand with your forefoot on a (stair) step and let your heel sink down at the back, in order to then raise it again by tensing your calves.
15 reps once an hour daily or 4 sets of 15 reps 3 days per week.
2. Leg Bike:
You can do this exercise either lying down or sitting. In the meantime, always actively tense your abdominal muscles to protect your back .
That’s how it’s done:
- Sit up straight or lie on your back.
- The legs are bent 90° at the hips and knees.
- Now ride a bike in the air without putting your legs down.
4 sets of 45 seconds, three days a week.
3. Foot rocker:
With this exercise, you alternately engage the front and back muscles of your lower legs to pump the slumped blood up.
That’s how it’s done:
- Sit up straight or stand on one leg.
- The passive foot rests on the floor with its entire surface.
- The active foot taps the ground alternately with the tips of the toes and then with the heel.
- When tapping with your heel, pull your toes up as high as possible. When typing with your toes, tighten your calf tightly.
30 seconds per leg once an hour daily.
Tip: If you do a sitting or standing job, you should move your legs at least once an hour and activate your thigh and calf muscles with our exercises or a round of stair climbing.
