Exercise is an excellent way to promote a healthy lifestyle especially when combined with a healthy diet. The risk of developing varicose veins can often be reduced with regular exercise. It is not uncommon for people to still go on and develop varicose veins despite exercising regularly.
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Varicose veins develop due to underlying valve dysfunction associated with weakness of the vein walls. There are several factors which may contribute to the occurrence of varicose veins. Although exercise is certainly beneficial for reducing the overall risk of developing varicose veins, certain types of exercise may result in a greater likelihood of developing varicose veins or may exacerbate pre-existing varicose veins.
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Which types of exercises should be avoided?
Maintenance of adequate circulation in the legs is important to prevent varicose veins. The exercises listed below may lead to increased strain on the leg veins and reduce venous blood flow including:
- Running – frequent runners may find they develop varicose veins and this is due to the increased strain placed on the deep leg veins. For those who are running enthusiasts, it would be better to run on softer surfaces such as grass or dedicated athletics tracks and compression socks would be beneficial.
- Abdominal crunches – abdominal crunches can lead to increased venous reflux and should ideally be carried out as part of a combined exercise routine with cardiovascular exercise such as swimming.
- Squats – Similar to abdominal crunches, leg squats place increased strain on leg veins and can result in the development of venous reflux. Venous reflux involves a change in the direction of blood flow in the legs so that blood no longer flows towards the heart and begins to pool in the legs.
- Lifting weights – the lifting of heavy weights results in increased pressure in the veins of the legs. It may help to wear compression stockings and carry out cardiovascular exercises in the same session to improve venous blood flow. We would recommend either lifting lighter loads or increasing repetitions if you already have pre-existing varicose veins.
Which exercises are beneficial for varicose vein prevention?
Patients who are at increased risk of developing varicose veins or already have pre-existing varicose veins should focus on the exercises below to promote good venous flow in the legs for healthier veins.
- Walking – regular walking is often regarded as an effective form of exercise to improve circulation in the legs.
- Swimming – swimming is ideal for toning calf and leg muscles and helps to prevent venous reflux.
- Cycling – cycling is excellent for strengthening the leg muscles to optimise blood circulation without exerting heavy strain on your hip and knee joints.
For those who may have a more sedentary lifestyle, there is a wide range of preventive measures you can take to reduce the overall risk of developing varicose veins. We would advise wearing compression stockings regularly and two avoid being stationary whether sitting or standing for long periods of time. Women can reduce the risk of developing varicose veins by avoiding high-heeled shoes.
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Once varicose veins have developed, the best way to get rid of established varicose veins is to have expert varicose vein treatment at a reputable UK vein clinic. Centre for Surgery is the leading varicose vein clinic in London and specialises in the most effective treatment for varicose vein removal including:
Here at Centre for Surgery, we are home to some of the leading varicose vein specialists with expertise in all types of leg veins including thread veins and spider veins. Compared with traditional varicose vein surgery, all of the treatments at our state-of-the-art Marylebone clinic are carried out under local anaesthetic as an outpatient which means you will be able to go home immediately after your procedure. Our after-care has been described as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. We have some of the highest success rates for varicose vein treatment in the UK with many patients having had failed treatment elsewhere coming to us for successful treatment.
Why choose Centre for Surgery for varicose vein removal?
Here at Centre for Surgery in London, our vein specialists have many years of experience in carrying out the most effective varicose vein treatment and we continue to treat hundreds of patients each year at our state of the vein clinic in central London. Our vascular specialists are renowned in the field and are regularly asked to comment on the latest advances for varicose vein removal in the national and international press.
- Little or no downtime after vein removal treatments
- Our varicose vein treatments have been recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) as the gold standard for vein removal.
- Our success rates with EVLA are some of the highest in the UK at over 96%.
- All consultations for varicose vein removal include a complimentary duplex ultrasound scan of your legs which costs approximately £400 at other clinics in the UK.
- Treatment takes no more than one hour to carry out and you can recover in the comfort of your own home later the same day.
- Our verrucous vein specialists are regularly invited to comment on the latest advances in varicose vein treatments on national television programmes.
- Patients develop a significant increase in self-confidence and an improvement in emotional well-being as a result of our treatment approach.
- Our treatment philosophy is focused on correcting the underlying cause of your varicose veins and this depends on undertaking a detailed ultrasound scan of your legs in every case.
- We offer finance for varicose vein treatment with our specialist partner, Chrysalis Finance.
- Consultations and treatments for varicose vein removal take place at our state-of-the-art London clinics in Marylebone.
Get in touch with us today on 020 7993 4849 or complete our varicose vein contact form to book a detailed varicose vein removal consultation with an expert vein specialist in London.
