Table of Contents
Causes and symptoms
Swollen legs are a fairly common problem among the population, especially in women. Swelling in the lower limbs affects or can affect the whole leg, starting with from the feet and ankles to the thigh. Typically, edema is most noticeable from above the knee down and is often easily seen visually. In some cases, however, the swelling is only perceived as feeling of heaviness and becomes visible only by pressing the affected areas which, following pressure, remain lighter in color than the surrounding areas for a few seconds.
Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet is caused by a excess fluid that accumulate between the fat cells. Except that after an operation – when surgical edema can occur – swollen legs are a common condition in the presence of problems with microcirculation and lymphatic circulation. In turn, circulatory disorders can depend on a predisposition and be aggravated by lifestyle, habits and behaviors. The slowing of circulation blood and lymphatic can in fact be constitutional or be a consequence of hormonal imbalances, but worsens due to:
- sedentary lifestyle
- static positions extended over time
- overweight and obesity
- use of heels
- tight clothing
- constipation
All these factors further slow down circulation leading to water retention: when the microcirculation and lymphatic system do not work efficiently, cell waste is not removed and accumulate in the space between one cell and another. The accumulation of fluids can then be aggravated by excessive consumption of salt or other substances that cause sodium and water to be retained within the body, such as licorice root.
Supply
Nutrition plays, as always, a fundamental role for health, well-being and beauty good habits at the table they can also help with swollen legs. A balanced diet can in fact help maintain your ideal weight or get back in shape in case of overweight and obesity, eliminating excess fat that presses on blood and lymphatic vessels, slowing their flow.
As we have seen it is important significantly limit the use of salt, as excessive consumption leads to accumulation of fluids. Also beware of hidden salt in packaged foods. Anyone suffering from swollen legs should then avoid licorice, which causes water retention.
The diet should include a lot of fruits and vegetables and, in general, food of plant origin. Vegetables are in fact rich in water, fiber, vitamins, minerals and molecules with antioxidant action: water and fibers favor intestinal transit, thus decreasing the pressure of the intestinal contents on the vessels; vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (including flavonoids) contribute to the overall health of the body ea strengthen the vessels sanguine. In particular, the diet for swollen legs should provide abundant portions of red fruits such as blueberries, cherries, blackberries and mulberries, red grapes, and red and orange vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, raw beets. These foods have a high content of molecules that act against the action of free radicals, also carrying out anti-inflammatory activity and improving the elasticity of blood vessels.
Tricks and exercises
As we have seen, there are some factors on which it is possible to intervene to deflate the legs. Since the swelling in the lower limbs depends on a slowing of the microcirculation and lymphatic system it is good to work on this first, through physical activity and some simple tricks.
As for the exercises, to stimulate blood and lymphatic circulation fast walking is very suitable, to be done three or four times a week for 30-40 minutes. Walking accelerates the heartbeat, “massages” the blood and lymphatic vessels thanks to the movement of the muscles involved in the movement and allows the pumping of blood and lymph upwards. At the end of the walk it is advisable to have a short stretching session with the legs raised: in addition to relaxing the muscles and preventing pain, stretching allows fluids to drain if performed with the legs resting vertically on a wall. Raise your legs it is always beneficial for swelling sufferers and can be done at any time of the day for two to three minutes, even several times a day. Often to deflate the legs it is recommended to sleep with a pillow at the foot of the bed, placing it between the mattress and the sheet.
In addition to physical exercise, which must be done on a regular basis, someone who does work during which he spends several hours standing or sitting, should do some breaks approximately every 30-40 minutes to reactivate the circulation: for this purpose you can simply walk back and forth around the room for a minute or rotate the seated ankles on one side and the other ten times or, again, perform ten to twenty lifts on the toes standing upright.
Attention then to cross your legs for a long time when sitting for a long time, wearing tight or tight pants and wearing high heels for several hours a day, every day – all of these habits block circulation, making the problem worse at the end of the day. As regards the footwear, these play an essential role since if the foot rests badly, the circulation is also affected and, consequently, the swelling in the legs can worsen. In the presence of posture problems it may be useful to choose corrective insoles. Great help also comes from graduated compression stockings, especially for people who spend a lot of time in static positions.
Finally, when taking a shower, you can take advantage of the water massage and temperature variations to stimulate circulation: it is enough direct the jet of water on the legs, moving the hand shower from the ankles to the thighs and alternating hot and cold water five to ten times. This is a simple but effective trick that doesn’t take a lot of time and can be done every time you shower.
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