Treatment Options

4 WAYS TO PREVENT VARICOSE VEINS

If you have varicose veins or venous insufficiency, exercising can be painful. In fact, some exercises can worsen your varicose veins and even cause new ones. Yet, avoiding to workout completely is not a option. If you want to stay healthy and have strong beautiful legs, you need to exercise them correctly. To strengthen your legs while avoiding varicose veins, add those modifications to your workout, at home or at the gym.

1. Exercise with your legs at the same level or above your heart

Varicose veins are caused when the wall of your veins can not sustain the pressure cause by gravity. Some exercises, such as lifting weights or running on a hard surface, can increase that pressure, therefore increasing your chance of developing new varicose veins. The solution is to make sure you choose exercises that place your legs at the same level or above your heart.

Avoid squatting if you have venous insufficiency. The leg press and the butt blaster are easier on your veins and therefore a better choice.

2. Don’t hold your breath

When lifting weights, most people have the reflex to hold their breath. Holding your breath causes your blood pressure to go sky high. And this is terrible if you are prone to varicose veins. Next time you lift something heavy, exhale while lifting, inhale while lowering.

When you are breathing fully, the movement of your abdomen helps the blood flow in your body, which in turn decreases the pressure on your veins. This is one simple trick to reduce your chance of having varicose veins when exercising.

3. Wear compression stockings

Wearing compression stockings at the gym or while jogging can help strengthen your veins and therefore prevent varicose veins. If you don’t want to be limited in your choice of exercises or simply don’t want to take any chance when it comes to varicose veins, wearing compression stockings allow you to be less strict with rule #1 from above.

4. Strengthen your veins with the right supplement

If you really can’t follow rule #1, or if your veins keep getting worse after all the precautions you have taken, this step will help you. Some herbs and vitamins have been proven to strengthen the veins of those affected with varicose veins and venous insufficiency. To learn more about which supplements I personally take and recommend, read Herbal Remedies for Varicose Veins.

There you have it! Follow those four simple steps to prevent varicose veins while exercising your strong beautiful legs.