Listen to Your Legs

10 Tips for Healthier Legs

Here are ten tips from Iowa Vein Center to keep your legs looking and feeling their best.

1. Do not sit with legs crossed or tucked up under you. It will interfere with drainage of the blood from the legs.
2. Do not go to sleep in an armchair, e.g., watching TV. The best way to go to sleep and for the physiological emptying of the legs is lying down.
3. Wear some sort of compression stockings, when you have to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time.
4. Never stand still. Take a few steps whenever possible.
5. Walk as much as you can. The more the better.
6. Wear lace-up shoes (tennis, jogging), never slippers in the house. A good shoe will improve the function of your foot pump and will help the return of blood to the heart.
7. Never sit close to a source of heat such as a fireplace or stove. Heat will dilate your lower leg veins and may cause fluid retention and swelling, worsening your problem or make a minor one worse.
8. Try not to bathe in the morning but take a short lukewarm shower. A hot steaming bath or shower will dilate your leg veins as your day begins, making for a longer day, with increased leg discomfort.
9. Normal legs or veins do not hurt, ache, feel heavy, itch or have cramps. If you have any of these problems, consult your physician or seek a satisfactory answer.
10. Color changes, whether brown, purple, etc. in your lower legs, ankles or feet are not normal. They are usually due to some sort of venous or arterial problem. The longer the problem has been present, the harder it will be to resolve it.