Tiredness, fatigue, pain, muscle cramps or heaviness and swelling in the legs are some of the symptoms of tired legs. A health condition that between 20 and 30 percent of the adult population ever suffer and that appears by various factors, such as the difficulty of venous and lymphatic return of the legs or sedentary lifestyle.
Leg tiredness is more common in women, obese people, sedentary habits or who spend a lot of time standing. It is also common in people with varicose veins in the lower limbs and with cardiovascular disorders, especially hypertension and diabetes.
Other factors involved in the appearance of tired legs is being pregnant, eating type or taking calcium antagonist medications. However, the expert insists that the most important are obesity and standing on a prolonged basis.
Prevention and Recommendations
Although tired legs are not a health risk, they limit the quality of life and decrease the physical activity performed by the person who suffers them, which can lead to worsening of symptoms and favors the appearance of varicose veins and skin lesions, even ulcers.
Here are some guidelines to prevent the Leg Pain/ Weakness:
- Keep your weight within normal limits based on your size and build. Regarding your diet, avoid hypercaloric and salty diets. “Eating without salt improves the peripheral circulation because it avoids the retention of liquids”, qualifies.
- Do aerobic exercise Regularly.
- The pool, the elliptical and the bicycle without resistance are some of the options. In addition, ground exercises, such as pilates and yoga , are also useful. Among the activities that need to be avoided is weight-bearing exercises in the legs.
- Try not to stand for a long time and even less with high heels. However, a little heel with soft cushion can be beneficial.
- Do not wear tight garments at the waist and socks with a brown rubber. Opt for elastic stockings of progressive compression, between normal and light compression.
- Put your legs up when sitting.
- Keep your blood pressure under control.
Although these measures can help prevent tired legs, what happens when this syndrome is already present? Is there any way to relieve the symptoms? Leon advised to follow these six guidelines to improve the situation:
- Lie down and put your legs up. By doing this we favor the circulation of the extremities.
- At least once a day, at night, get a cold water bath in your legs (with the telephone type shower).
- Find someone who can give you a message, distal to proximal, with an oil or body cream.
- There are some medicines, of controversial utility, called generically venotonic, that could help with those having veins problems.
- You can also use a mild diuretic or analgesic such as acetaminophen from time to time.
