Varicose veins exercises: what you can and cannot do

Varicose veins are a common pathology among men and women after the age of 30 and can also appear at a younger age. If precautionary measures are taken and exercises are performed for varicose veins of the lower extremities, it is possible to stop the development of the pathology, to heal the weakened vessels and capillaries.

exercise for varicose veins

The benefits of exercise therapy

A set of natural exercises for varicose veins helps to improve blood flow, increases the patient's physical endurance, strengthening the structure of damaged blood vessels and muscles.

If you do not neglect physical therapy (exercise therapy), you can significantly facilitate the course of the disease, relieve swelling and eliminate fatigue in the legs.

Suggested exercises

Exercises for the prevention of varicose veins and the treatment of the disease are performed in order to dilute the fluid inside the vessels, to eliminate the swelling of the veins under the skin and to return the natural shade of the skin.

Allowed:

  • Strengthen the leg muscles with the involvement of the hip area.
  • Diaphragm loads to regulate blood flow and blood saturation with nutrients.
  • Hiking, riding a stationary bike, with a strong pedal.
  • Swimming in the pool.

Phlebologists advise regular exercise therapy twice a day for ten minutes. It is recommended to divide the courses into several pieces - in the morning 5-7 minutes and the same amount before bedtime, giving preference to less intense loads on the body.

Doctors' recommendations

Varicose veins exercises are performed both with the help of a physiotherapist and independently. It is important to monitor the load of exercise, the flexibility of movements, in order to avoid sudden cradles, body turns.

Excessive work can only harm the patient, complicating the course of the disease. The room should be spacious, ventilated, it is better to do exercises for varicose veins on the legs after waking up. It is important not to forget the compression tights and comfortable shoes.

Wellness complex

Gymnastics for the legs with varicose veins of the lower extremities consists of exercises:

  • To reduce leg fatigue at night - lie down, lift your legs to a height, hold for about 5 minutes.
  • Connect your legs, stretch your arms, get up carefully on your toes, stand for 2-3 seconds, get down.
  • Lie on the floor, lift your legs, rotate your legs in and out.

Systematic charging will prevent the progression of the disease, reduce the risk of leaking one stage of varicose veins to another and eliminate complications.

Wellness exercises for varicose veins of the legs

Fitness in the office

Exercises against varicose veins during work, sitting in a chair:

  • Raise the leg in a straight position, make circular movements with each end.
  • Lift the foot, placing the feet on the toes, 15 passes for each foot.
  • Stretch your toes up, fasten your heels to the floor motionless.
  • Perform foot rolls from heel to toe.

For sedentary work, it is recommended to take a break of 5 minutes every hour. At this time, it is useful to perform movements in an upright position:

  • Legs together, rise sharply to the toes, lower legs.
  • Walking on heels, back straight.
  • Put your hands on a fictional or real wall shoulder-width apart, bend your leg and transfer the weight to it, and throw the other back and stand on your toes, after 10 seconds, change your legs.
  • Tear off the heels alternately from the floor, do the exercise regularly, several times with one approach, at least 20 times a day.

Therapeutic exercises for varicose veins in the legs provide a time of rest and therefore after 5-10 minutes of exercise on the limbs, you should lie down in a relaxed position to regulate blood circulation and restore breathing.

Caution! Exercise should not cause discomfort to the affected veins, burning, tingling, swelling or other complications of varicose veins. It is important not to forget the drug treatment in order to get rid of the disease effectively.

varicose veins cause pain in the legs

Jumping Mikulin

In the fight against varicose veins, the vibrating gymnastics of academic Mikulin has proven to be good. A special exercise for varicose veins involves only special jumps, the regular application of which will help eliminate the symptoms of varicose veins.

  1. After waking up, you should stand up, stretch your arms along the body, while inhaling, get up on your toes by one centimeter. As you exhale, lower your feet sharply to the floor.
  2. When hit with the heels, the body will receive a slight shake, the push will direct the blood through the blood vessels upwards, causing the blood vessels to clear from the inside.
  3. Mikulin special jumps should be done at least 60 times a day; you can not turn exercise into intense bouncing. The movements must be smooth, precise, every 20 push-ups - a break of 10 s.

Such exercises are useful in combination with exercises for varicose veins of the small pelvis, which often develop during secondary and subsequent pregnancy, with a strong load on the pelvis.

A set of exercises for the pelvic organs

Physiotherapy exercises help to strengthen the walls of the venous vessels, to improve blood flow. It is useful to do the following exercises:

  • Bicycle - in the prone position imitation of cycling on foot.
  • Scalidi - alternative cross-legged.
  • Semi-squats - not below the level of the knee.
  • Buttock compression is a Kegel exercise, proven in expectant mothers for painless childbirth.

After exercising with varicose veins, self-massage of the legs and thighs is useful for stabilizing blood flow, eliminating harmful elements at the cellular level and relieving fatigue.

It is useful to make light strokes from the ankles to the knees, rubbing the lower legs in a circular motion. You can use a nourishing or moisturizing cream that is natural or anti-varicose, bought at the pharmacy.

At the end of all the exercises, it is recommended to do a swallow - straighten your back, stand up straight, arms relaxed and lowered along the body. When inhaling, arms up, while exhaling, run a swallow.

exercises for varicose veins

During exercise, you should drink a small amount of fluid, just moisten your lips with water, so as not to cause swelling. Protein diet is useful, especially in the morning, before bedtime - cereals, fruit smoothies.

Bubnovsky for varicose veins

The technique does not prescribe medication. The doctor assures that by regularly performing simple exercises, you can improve the mobility of the joints, improve the elasticity of muscle tissue.

The exercise takes place in any position:

  1. Sitting in a chair - lift both legs sharply on the toes, stretch the limbs forward and perform circular movements of the legs, popular rolls from toe to heel and vice versa.
  2. Lying in bed - lie on your stomach, bend your knees, tap your buttocks with your heels, then lift your legs alternately, holding up a slight feeling of fatigue.
  3. Lying on the floor - a bicycle, scissors, alternately raise your legs and move your legs sharply.
  4. Standing - get up on your toes and fall sharply on your heels, spread your arms to the sides. Make light squats.

Dr. Bubnovsky advises to divide the whole exercise into three parts - morning, lunch and evening, do it regularly, as a supplement you can use yoga elements. The position of the lotus improves blood circulation and helps get rid of the orange peel.

It is better to replace running with vigorous walking, swimming in the pool. Exercises for varicose veins of the lower extremities according to the Bubnovsky method are available to every patient, regardless of the stage of varicose veins and the age of the individual.

Preventive exercise

With varicose veins, calm walking, cycling for about 10-20 minutes a day, contrast showers, pool exercises are helpful, which help to remove the swelling and relieve the general condition of the patient.

It is recommended to get rid of the habit of throwing your feet in a sitting position, disrupting blood circulation. It is also worth limiting walking to high heels, reducing the load on weak blood vessels and capillaries.

In the evening, it is recommended to take a bath for tired feet, with the addition of a decoction of herbs of medicinal plants (chamomile, sage, eucalyptus), essential oils of citrus, juniper. When resting, you should position yourself so that your heels are above the level of your buttocks.

measures to prevent varicose veins

In addition to exercise and medication, it is important to monitor your diet, eat foods slowly, fractionally, without overeating, especially before bedtime. It is important to avoid serious jumps in body weight.

An important role in the prevention of varicose veins play everyday shoes, they should be in size, high quality and comfortable. In the initial stage of varicose veins, you should pay attention to the compression stockings, choose their size with the advice of a venologist.

Prohibitions

What leg exercises with varicose veins at home can not be performed:

  • Jumping rope (heavy load on the veins, an exercise can cause a blood clot to break).
  • Exercises with load (kettles, bar, etc. ).
  • Prolonged exercise on a stationary bike (overload of veins, dysfunction of blood flow).
  • Power emissions (vascular tone).
  • Exercise dilation (swelling of the veins, damage to weakened capillaries).
  • Intense running, for speed, long distances (load on the feet)

For patients with varicose veins, power loads are excluded. An excellent alternative is the aerobic pool or step. The gym will be available after the complete elimination of the disease, following the recommendation of a venologist.

Gymnastics for varicose veins of the lower extremities - how to improve the condition of the veins by performing simple exercises

exercise bike for varicose veins

Varicose veins are a fairly common pathology that significantly affects the quality of human life. It is very difficult to fully recover from this disease, but to facilitate its course, it is worth doing special exercises.

Varicose veins are called constant expansion and elongation of the veins, accompanied by thinning of their walls and the formation of so-called nodules. The reason for this phenomenon lies in the serious pathology of the walls of the veins and the insufficiency of their valves.

This disease is quite common and is much more common in women. Varicose veins often begin at working age - about thirty to forty years.

The main risk factor for developing this disease is the inactive lifestyle.

The benefits of therapeutic exercises for varicose veins can hardly be overestimated. The special gym allows you to:

  • improvement of venous and lymphatic outflow.
  • increase in physical endurance.
  • normalization of arterial inflow.
  • increase the tone of the veins.
  • improve peripheral traffic.

If you neglect the therapeutic exercises for varicose veins of the legs, this will cause blood stasis in the affected vessels, in addition, the pressure will increase.

In turn, this will lead to the accumulation of water in the area of the ankles, feet, lower legs, which often exacerbates the pain.

Characteristics of physical activity

Exercises for varicose veins are especially useful for people who do not move much in everyday life.

Walking is the simplest exercise and people with this condition should walk every day. It is also quite possible to ride a bike. Swimming is also very useful.

suitability for varicose veins

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There is also a special therapeutic gymnastics for varicose veins of the legs. To perform these exercises as efficiently as possible, the following rules must be followed:

  • People who do sedentary work should warm up for five minutes at least once an hour.
  • it is important to monitor your posture, it is not recommended to cross your legs.
  • charging should be done 15-30 minutes a day.
  • throughout the day, you should do several repetitions.

A set of exercises

Venereologists recommend doing special exercises against varicose veins in the morning and evening, giving them about 15-30 minutes. At the same time, you can not reach exhaustion, because each person has his own limit of physical potential.

Continuous exercise for five minutes will be enough and it is recommended to take breaks. If you feel tired, it is best to postpone the session.

The main set of exercises for all types of diseases

These exercises are suitable for varicose veins of the lower and upper extremities, for varicose veins of the pelvis and other types of diseases:

a set of exercises for varicose veins
  1. Lie on your back, bend your leg, pulling it to your chest. After that, straighten it, fasten it for a few seconds and lower it. Do the same exercise for the other leg.
  2. Lie down, bend your legs and get up. Straighten them, hold them for a second, bend them again and return to their original position.
  3. Lie down, lift your legs and rotate your legs, this should be done outwards and inwards. Then you can bend and untie your toes and feet.
  4. Sit in a chair, rest your heels on the floor. Move your toes in different directions. Do it 15-20 times.
  5. Lie on your stomach with your hands on your hips. Alternately lift each leg as high as possible. At the highest point, pause for a few seconds and then return to the position. Do 8-10 repetitions.
  6. Swallow exercise. Stand up straight, lower your arms along your body. Inhale, raise your arms and then stand on your toes. As you exhale, stop swallowing. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times.
  7. Roll from heel to toe, transferring body weight to it. Do 15-20 repetitions.
  8. For 15 minutes, walk on your heels, toes, with a hip lift.

Leg exercises

Gymnastics for varicose veins of the lower extremities includes the following exercises:

  1. Relief of leg veins. You should lie down, close your eyes and relax as much as possible while breathing deeply and evenly. Many pillows should be placed under your feet - this will allow them to stand up 15-20 degrees.
  2. Lie down, bend your legs while placing your feet on the floor. Put your hands on your hips. Inhale gradually, lift your head and body. Hands should slide on your knees. After a slow exhalation, return to its original position.
  3. Lie down, knead your arms along the body, raise your legs 15-20 degrees and hold a small pillow between them. Inhale slowly, bend at the bottom of the back and the buttocks should be torn off the floor. Exhale slowly, return to its original position.
  4. Lie down, place your hands along the body. Bend your legs and, gradually exhaling, pull your stomach. As you inhale, inflate your abdomen.
  5. Put your feet together, place your hands along the body. Take a deep breath, slowly get up on your toes, exhale and return to the starting position.
exercises with gymnastic ball for varicose veins

Regular performance of special exercises for the lower extremities will reduce the manifestations of venous insufficiency, inhibit the development of the disease and reduce the risk of dangerous complications.

To reduce the manifestations of varicose veins of the upper extremities, you should perform simple exercises:

  1. Lie on your back, put a pillow under your neck. Raise your arms and legs perpendicular to the body, pull the legs towards you. Breathe evenly and deeply. After that, vibrate with your arms and legs for 3 minutes.
  2. Cross your arms at the back of your head. Slowly turn the body in both directions. Do 20 repetitions.
  3. Stretch your arms forward, clench your fists. Open your palms while stretching your fingers. Do 20 repetitions.
  4. Squeeze your left wrist with your right palm. Raise your left hand as high as possible, while your right hand should resist. Repeat 20 times. After that, raise your hands up, hold them in this position for 20 seconds. Repeat the exercise for the other hand.
  5. Raise your arms above your head, clench and release your fists. Do 80 repetitions. Put your hands down and do the same.

A set of exercises for the pelvic organs

If the varicose veins have touched the pelvic organs, it is recommended that you perform the following exercises:

  1. Exercise "bicycle". You should lie on your back and imitate cycling with your feet. In this case, the back and lower back should be pressed to the floor.
  2. Exercise "scissors". Lie on your back, stretch your arms along the body. Make intersecting movements in a vertical and horizontal position.
  3. Exercise "birch". Lie on your back, lean on your shoulders, lift your legs up and hold them until you feel tired. If you want, you can complicate this exercise a bit by adding flexion and extension to the knees.
  4. Half squats. Stand up straight, spread your legs 30-40 cm wide. Sit slowly while not falling below the level of your knees. Literally for a second, you should stay in this position and then slowly return back. Do 10-15 repetitions.
  5. Sit on the floor, put your hands behind your back and rest them on the floor, stretch your legs. Bend your right leg at the knee, place your foot close to the left knee. Raise and lower your left leg. Do 10-15 repetitions.
exercises for varicose veins of the pelvic organs

Additional exercises

To make the treatment of varicose veins as effective as possible, additional exercises can be done throughout the day:

  1. Stand up straight, put your feet straight. Get up on your toes and slowly lower yourself. Do 20-30 repetitions. Separate the socks, put on the heels and do 20-30 lifts again. The same procedure should be done with outstretched heels and flattened toes.
  2. You have to walk on the spot, without taking your socks off the floor.
  3. Put your legs together, stretch your arms along the body. Take a slow breath, get your shoulders back. As you exhale, you should relax and tilt your head forward.
  4. The starting position is the same. Taking a breath, raise your arms and stand on your toes. After that, on the exhale, return to its original position.
  5. Tightening the buttocks is very effective. This exercise can be performed on any position of the body.

Exercises for the prevention of varicose veins

In order to prevent the development of varicose veins, it is also necessary to perform special exercises:

  1. Lie down, stretch your arms along the body, put your legs straight on a chair. Bend the left and right legs alternately. Do 5 reps for each leg.
  2. Lie down, stretch your arms along the body. Lift your legs and stretch in different directions. In this case, you need to pull back the socks and rotate the ankle joints to the right and left. Do 5-7 repetitions.
  3. In the same position, bend your legs and make rotational movements in the knee joints. Do 5-8 times right and left.
  4. Lean on your shoulders and lift your legs up, as in the "birch" exercise. Spread your legs to the sides. Change the position of the legs on swings. Do 4-7 repetitions.
  5. Jump on your toes 10-15 times, stand on your feet and, after a few seconds, repeat the jumps.

Sport

cycling with varicose veins

But that does not mean that all sports for varicose veins are banned. For example, swimming is very useful, all the exercises that can be done while sitting or lying down are allowed.

It is also quite possible to practice yoga or Pilates.

Massage

The benefits of massage for varicose veins are the stimulation of blood circulation in the affected areas.

It is recommended that this procedure be performed by an experienced technician.

If you decide to do it yourself, you must remember that the touch should be as light and gentle as possible. Do not touch the veins that protrude more than others - this can only make the problem worse.

The diet for varicose veins consists of proper nutrition.

The diet should contain foods that have a beneficial effect on the condition of the blood and blood vessels. Make sure you eat foods rich in vitamin C.

In addition, seafood should definitely be in the diet, as they prevent the walls of blood vessels from stretching.

No less useful are the fiber, which ensures the normal functioning of the intestines, which is very important for varicose veins.

Vibration exercises

We lower the heels to the floor, slightly remove our feet and relax. We start hitting our heels on the floor. You need to feel how the whole body vibrates. To do this, you need to relax so much that the vibration reaches the head. Feel your skin vibrate.

Gently shake the legs one by one and lower them to the floor. We lie on our backs and stretch our arms with our legs up. We begin to act cowardly with our limbs.

  • Exercise "Shake"
  • We try to imagine shaking drops of water from the brushes and feet.
  • We breathe naturally with our abdomen.

These exercises help to create extra vibration that causes the capillaries to constrict and push the blood more actively. Also, these actions improve the flow of all fluids in the body. The movements are very simple and effective.

  1. Start with 1 minute and gradually increase the time.
  2. After the "shake", put your bent legs on the floor, put your palms on your stomach and relax.
  3. Breathing exercise

Feel the movement of your abdomen as you breathe. During inhalation, the abdomen swells, with exhalation, we lower the walls of the abdomen. After a relaxing breathing exercise, we move to a sitting position.

Relaxing massage

Complete the complex with a light foot massage. We start with the feet, where you have to massage each toe, the arch of the foot, as well as the heel.

  • Foot massage
  • Then, with light caressing movements, move upwards from the foot.

We try to do this massage for 2 to 5 minutes. Iron the tibia, after the thigh.

  1. Thigh massage
  2. Having worked on one limb, we proceed to the massage on the other leg.

By performing such a set of exercises for varicose veins in the legs, you can maintain their youth, health and beauty. The main thing is to do it not from time to time, but regularly. And do not forget about other methods of treating varicose veins at home.

Contraindications to physiotherapy exercises

  • With this disease, under no circumstances should you overload your feet.
  • It is not recommended to engage in professional sports that require static exercises or heavy force loads.
  • It is categorically impossible to lift weights.
  • With varicose veins, only light exercises are allowed, which do not cause excessive stress.

Varicose veins are a rather unpleasant disease that occurs quite often. To reduce its manifestations, it is recommended to perform special exercises.

However, it is very important that the exercises are moderate and regular.

Therapeutic exercises for varicose veins - the right technique of execution, the choice of a complex depending on the complexity and neglect of the disease.