Three effective exercises against varicose veins

Varicose veins are not a purely cosmetic problem, but they can also lead to increased pain, heaviness in the legs and diseases such as blood clot or pulmonary embolism. With these three exercises, you can effectively combat spider veins.

Varicose veins are not just a thorn in many people's side visually, they can also cause symptoms such as pain or heaviness in the legs and even cause diseases such as blood clot or pulmonary embolism.

How do varicose veins develop?

The veins in the legs are responsible for returning blood to the heart to maintain circulation and constantly replace deoxygenated blood with fresh blood. If the venous valves no longer work properly, the blood vessels swell, blood pooling in the legs and making the veins visible as varicose veins. The tendency to develop varicose veins is mainly caused by hereditary vein and weak connective tissue, but is also enhanced by pregnancy or aging. In addition, lifestyle factors that reduce blood flow in the body and damage blood vessels, such as smoking, inactivity, or being overweight, can increase the risk of developing varicose veins.

Interesting: Spider veins are not the same as varicose veins. Spider veins are smaller and more superficial and are only a cosmetic problem, while varicose veins 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 venous pump in the calves must be activated several times a day, which you can do by walking, climbing stairs, jogging, cycling or swimming. In addition, the following three exercises help promote the return of blood flow to the heart and activate the venous pump.

3 effective exercises against varicose veins

1. Calf raise:

You can do this simple exercise while standing or sitting, which makes it easy to integrate it into your daily work, for example right at your desk.

This is how it's done:

Hold on to a wall or railing for safety.

From a standing position (or alternatively while seated with your feet completely on the floor) lift both heels at the same time and actively straighten your legs.

Slowly and under control, lower your heels back down to the floor and repeat the movement.

To increase the intensity, stand with the ball of your foot on a step (step) and let your heel drop back down, then raise it back up by contracting your calves.

15 repetitions once an hour daily or 4 sets of 15 repetitions 3 days a week.

2. Bike leg:

You can do this exercise either lying down or sitting. In the meantime, always tighten your abdominal muscles to protect your back.

This is how it's done:

Sit upright or lie on your back.

The legs are bent at a 90 degree angle 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. Rocking chair:

With this exercise, you alternately engage the muscles of the lower part of the front and back legs to pump the accumulated blood upward.

This is 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 strikes the ground alternately with the tips of the toes and then the heel.

When you tap your heel, lift your toes up as high as possible. When you tap your toes, squeeze your calf tightly.

30 seconds per leg once an hour daily.

Tip: If you are doing seated or standing work, you should move your legs at least once every hour and activate your thigh and calf muscles with our exercises or a stair climber.