Can Varicose Veins Disappear With Exercise?

Varicose veins are unsightly – swollen or enlarged veins that run under the skin’s surface, often appearing on your legs. This is a common condition, especially among older people, inactive individuals, and women. In some instances, these gnarled blue purple-ish veins can come with symptoms like pain, itching, and result in serious health complications. Fortunately, exercise can prevent and manage the symptoms of varicose veins.

So what types of exercise reduce the appearance of varicose veins and improve overall blood circulation? You need to do low-impact exercises such as low-intensity walking, stretching, and yoga. Refrain from doing physical activity that puts excessive pressure on your leg veins to prevent blood from pooling.

Will Varicose Veins Go Away With Weight Loss or Exercise?

While exercise can’t completely cure varicose veins, it doesn’t mean that you don’t get any value from it. In fact, physical activity is an effective vein treatment that helps you manage the symptoms of varicose veins, spider veins, and venous insufficiency as it eases your discomfort. It improves blood circulation and thus dramatically improves the appearance of unsightly veins.

Exercise also has other bonus added effects: It can reduce the risk of cancer, high blood pressure, and falls, and even strengthens your bones, joints, and muscles. Your veins won’t heal themselves. We recommend that, along with exercise, you get intervention from a vein specialist. You may need a more advanced vein treatment – whether it’s minimally invasive or surgery – or some self-care remedies like compression stockings.

Best Exercises to Reverse Varicose Veins

Doctors typically recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day. If this seems like a big step, divide the time into 3 – for 3 times a day, exercise for 10 minutes. If you make exercise a habit, it can promote vein health and keep your varicose veins or spider veins from progressing.

1) Walking for Varicose Veins

Get some calf muscle pump action by walking. This low-impact exercise is usually safe for all ages and fitness levels. All you need is a pair of comfortably fitting shoes. You can also do this exercise as many times a day as you like.

Walking can reduce leg pain, especially in patients with venous insufficiency and varicose vein disease, after 20 to 30 minutes. You could go on a treadmill indoors, go around your living room, and get some fresh air. Whatever environment you choose, a short walk every day does wonders. You’ll maintain healthy blood circulation, stay fit, and strengthen bones and muscles.

2) Stretching Exercises for Varicose Veins

Moving your body around synergistically helps with vein health. There are certain stretches known to improve the venous insufficiency condition such as lunges, a standard forward hold, and lying on your back with your legs against the wall. When you try a combination of exercises, you’ll be activating different parts of your muscles.

One type of stretching exercise you could do is called bicycle leg stretches. Lie on the floor, then raise your legs. Move your legs in a circular motion as if you were riding a bike. This gets blood out of your legs. If you suddenly feel lower back pain, you may want to switch to a floor mat for added comfort.

3) Yoga for Varicose Veins

Given that varicose veins are brought about by pooled blood in the veins, different yoga poses could alleviate pain and swelling. Other benefits include maintaining strength and flexibility as you age.
We recommend trying out these poses:

• Downward-facing dog: Kneel on all fours, then lift your hips so that your body is in the form of an inverted “V.” Always keep your back straight.
• Warrior 2: Put one foot in front of the other in an almost-lunge position. Raise your arms above your head as you inhale.
• Bridge: This pose is similar to a hip raise. Lie on your back, lift the lower back off the ground while knees are bent, and hold for 10 seconds to 1 minute.
• Butterfly: This low-impact yoga pose opens the hip and stretches the hip adductors. Once you’ve warmed up to the position, flutter your legs up and down for an enhanced stretch.
• Legs up the wall: This restorative yoga pose can relieve pain in the lower body. Practice the pose for 1 to 2 minutes. If you’ve gotten the hang of things, you can stay in the position for up to 20 minutes.

4) Pregnancy Exercises to Prevent Varicose Veins

Pregnant women are more likely to experience a varicose vein condition since they produce more blood to help the baby grow. There is a higher risk of vein blockage. Also, pregnancy hormones cause the vein walls to become softer and unable to function properly. All these into consideration, blood tends to pool in the legs of pregnant moms.

If you’re pregnant, try to make exercise part of your daily routine – whether that’s the gym, online videos, or a physical training app. You can go around dancing, taking walks, swimming, and calf raises to help the blood get flowing and make varicose veins less likely. Also, try not to sit for too long, and avoid wearing tight clothing around your waist and pelvis.

Leg Exercises to Avoid Varicose Veins

While it’s always a great idea to keep your body moving, keep in mind that some high-impact exercises, especially those focused on leg muscles, can lead to an even more serious vein disease. Some of the exercises you should reduce or avoid include:

1) Squats and Lunges

Leg squats and lunges put pressure on your veins and consequently lead to venous reflux (when blood flow is reversed in the legs). These exercises can also strain the walls of your veins.

2) Weightlifting

Whenever you lift, you’re putting excessive pressure on your abdominal area which, in turn, reduces blood flow to your lower body, including your legs. This can cause damage to the valves and allow blood to pool. Consider lifting with lighter weights instead. Or better yet, shift to exercises that have your legs level or above your heart.

3) High-Intensity Running

Running can help with varicose veins up to a certain point. The high-impact nature of running adds stress to your joints, leading to aggravated and swollen varicose veins. Reduce the impact by running on soft terrains, like grass, and wear compression stockings for support.

Immediately stop exercising if you experience any form of body pain, most especially in your legs. This could indicate a much more severe health condition that requires the guidance of a medical professional.

Risk Factors of Varicose Veins and Venous Insufficiency

Varicose veins occur as a result of weakened or damaged valves. The blood flow circulation process of the circulatory system goes like this: Arteries carry blood from the heart and carry it throughout your body; veins return blood from the body to your heart. Should blood ever flow backwards or pool in the veins, it causes those veins to swell and protrude.
There are certain factors that increase the risk of developing these so-called varicose veins:

• Age: Weak valves in your veins often come with age. The aging process can affect blood circulation and cause the reversal of blood flow.
• Genetics: There are genetic predispositions for varicose veins and venous insufficiency.
• Gender: Women are more likely to experience varicose veins because of hormonal changes, especially during pregnancy, pre-menstruation, and menopause.
• Obesity: Excess weight puts pressure on the veins in your legs, making it difficult for blood to return to the heart.
• Job: If your work involves prolonged periods of sitting or standing, it is more likely that blood will pool in your veins.
• Smoking: Smoking constricts your veins and thus results in diminished circulation.

Schedule a Vein Exam at Vein Care Center

Before doing any type of exercise, whether indoors or outdoors, always consult a doctor beforehand to avoid possible repercussions. You may also need to combine physical activity with clinically proven vein treatment options at Vein Care Center to reduce the appearance of unsightly varicose and spider veins.

Our vein specialists will find the best treatments for your vein disease and promote vein health. Schedule a vein exam with us today.