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5 Easy Exercises to Boost Circulation Now

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in ,

Looking for easy exercises to boost circulation? Well, you’ve come to the right place. And just in the nick of time!

After all, when you have vein disease, you may experience a wide range of symptoms, from tired heavy legs to changes in the appearance of your skin. One potential skin change you may experience could be very threatening to your health. And that’s developing a venous skin ulcer. (This is a sore on your leg that’s hard to heal, usually because your circulation isn’t working well.) While ulcers can be difficult to treat, but a new study is now suggesting that exercise, in combination with compression therapy, can help ulcers heal faster! Let’s take a closer look.

Exercises to Boost Circulation and Compression Therapy: A Powerful Combination

Compression socks will help your ulcer heal, but adding in exercise can speed up the process

According to research published in JAMA Dermatology, ulcer patients who tried compression therapy and exercise healed quicker than those who only used compression therapy. Compression therapy, usually in the form of socks or stockings, helps heal leg ulcers by directing more blood flow to your legs. In this new study, researchers reviewed clinical information for 190 patients, and found that healing rates improved by 14% when patients were prescribed compression therapy and exercise, as compared to compression therapy alone. For the purposes of this review, the exercise included walking and ankle exercises, both of which improve blood flow and strengthen calf muscles. Strong calf muscles can help manage the symptoms of vein disease because, when they contract properly, those muscles can help give blood the push it needs to make its way back to your heart.

As Houston vein specialists, we are dedicated to improving vein health and helping people heal from vein disease. With that goal in mind, we dedicate frequent Monday blog posts to exercises that may help improve your vein health. Given the  findings in this study, today’s post will highlight ankle exercises you can do from anywhere, and without any equipment. As always, consult with your doctor before beginning any new exercise plan!

Five Ankle Strengthening Exercises to Boost Circulation Exercises to boost circulation

  • Standing on one foot: Begin by just standing on one leg at a time, and holding the position for as long as you can. Once that becomes fairly easy to pull off, try doing the same thing, but with your eyes closed.
  • Standing calf raises: Lift yourself up on your toes for 15 reps, taking a brief pause between sets. If you are ready for more of a challenge, do the exercise on one leg at a time, or hold a light set of weights while you do the raises
  • Heel walks: Lift your toes and forefoot off the ground. Walk back and forth across the room, balancing on your heels.
  • Hop Around: Stand on your right leg. Hop forward, sideways and backward up to 30 repetitions, if you are ready for that kind of challenge. Then switch legs and repeat the moves on your left foot.
  • Skater jumps: Start in a standing position on your left leg. Propel yourself to the right using the muscles in your left glute, and land on your right leg with a bent knee. Jump back to the left side, using the muscles in your right glute to move you over.

5 Do-Anywhere Workouts for Veins

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in

Are there workouts for veins that can prevent vein disease? Well, there are so many reasons why you develop varicose and spider veins. In fact, your genes may be upping your risk!  Even so, you can be proactive about prevention. And part of those changes include exercising more.

Now, even a few simple lifestyle changes go a long way towards preventing these veins from developing. Whether you are starting to see the early signs of varicose or spider veins, or you hope to prevent them altogether, certain workouts can promote healthy veins. Why not make these last weeks of 2021 your time to sweat some vein-preventing workouts (and show off those healthy legs with pride!) We’ve even tapped a top fitness trainer for work-out-at-home safety tips, in case you’re too busy to get to the gym!

Walking workouts for veins

Taking a walk or hike is one of the best ways to give your legs a workout and improve circulation in your legs. Walking is a great low-impact exercise that can strengthen your calf muscles and minimize spider or varicose veins.

Try talking a stroll through your neighborhood, find a nearby greenway to walk on, or plan a hike. If you’re wanting a more rigorous workout, a run will also improve circulation and get more blood returning to your heart, which can help prevent varicose veins.

Ride your bike to smoother legs

workouts to prevent veins

Riding a bike is another exercise that works out your legs and promotes healthy veins. Bonus? It doesn’t put too much stress on your joints, and as you pedal, your calf muscles flex, giving your veins a rest and helping circulate blood back to the heart.

You can ride a stationary bike or a regular bike. Don’t have access to either? No problem! You can still mimic this exercise motion, while lying on your back on the floor, a bed or any flat surface. To get all the same benefits as biking, just raise your legs and pretend that you are pedaling. This will still stimulate blood circulation in your legs and help protect your veins.

Try Swimming or Water Workouts for Veins

The buoyancy of water means that swimming and water aerobics don’t put stress on your joints while still providing cardiovascular benefits. The water resistance will also help workout your leg muscles even more and improve circulation.

If you have a pool, try swimming lap. Or seek out a secluded lake or beach where you can take a socially responsible dip in the water.

Squats and Calf Raises

Squats and calf raises both strengthen your leg and thigh muscles. Now, that’s important. Because strong leg muscle produce strong contractions. And strong contractions help get blood out of your legs and back up to your heart. Which means no blood pooling, and a lower risk of varicose veins.

Of course, position is important with these exercises. See out in-depth guide to calf raises here. Then, think about these elements when squatting. Keep weight in your heels. Push your glutes back instead of down, and try to keep your head and chest lifted as you lower your body. In fact, since doing squats improperly can cause pain, it’s best to check your form with a trainer or even your doctor to prevent injury.

Preventing Varicose Veins

Risk factors that increase your chance of suffering from vein disease include:

  • If your family has a history of vein disease
  • If you are over 45
  • If you are a woman
  • If you are pregnant
  • If you are overweight
  • If you sit for the majority of the day or stand for the majority of the day

If any of these apply, you’ll want to get started on a vein-healthy workout routine. Make sure to discuss any changes in your activity routine with a doctor before starting a new exercise program! And check out these safety tips for working out at home!

Safely Transitioning to a Home Workout

With so much time on our hands, but very few gym spaces available, we’re taking workouts to our living rooms, back yards and neighborhood streets. And this is all great, as long as you stay safe. To help protect your health, certified personal trainer Anita Slaughter, owner of A | TRAIN FITNESS, shares her top safety tips for at-home workouts! And feel free to reach out and train with Anita from home. She offers virtual training and Zoom fitness!

Staying safe with in-home exercise

1.       While exercise has numerous health benefits, if you weren’t exercising regularly before the stay at home mandate, you should ease into a fitness program and slowly increase the frequency, duration and intensity.

2.       It is important to add variety to the fitness program you choose.  Working the same muscle groups, the same way, day after day can lead to overuse/repetitive injuries, so mix it up.  Participate in lower body strength training one day, upper body the next and core the following. Throw cardio exercise in the mix, with walks or runs outside for the added Vitamin D benefit.

3.      Without the normal day to day movement we’re getting, even from our homes to our cars, we are far more sedentary right now than we even realize.  So if you don’t have a 45-60 minute block of time, break it up into two to three 15-30 minute segments each day.

4.      If you have underlying health issues (like vein disease) or you’re concerned about safety, consult a professional.  Telehealth is now available if you need to get clearance from a physician or vein specialist.  There are numerous web options for exercise programs so find one that fits your needs and investigate to ensure they’re provided by a professional who is certified by a Nationally Accredited organization.

Sources: NYU Langone Health, Anita Slaughter, CPT

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