One of the best ways to prevent and minimize the appearance of varicose veins is through regular rhythmic – physical activity. These are less strenuous and more simple exercises that you can do every day without exerting too much effort or putting too much pressure on your body. If you have suffered from varicose veins long enough, then you probably already know that they are not often serious health conditions. Most of the time, they are hereditary and there’s only so much you can do to avoid it.
So before we list out some of the best exercises for varicose veins, it’s worth pointing out that exercise is not the magic bullet that will permanently remove your varicose veins. It’s just one of the many things you should do to minimize them.
Surgery or personalized treatment is still one of the best options to treat varicose veins permanently. If you live around some of the bigger cities in the United States for example, then getting a hold of these surgeons or a vein clinic in Phoenix, Chicago, LA, New York, or whichever city you live in shouldn’t be too difficult.
But, in the meantime, doing these exercises are still beneficial and will help minimize their appearance. With that said, follow on for Varicose Veins: 4 Effective Exercises to Minimise Them!
Warm-Up
Before you start with your regular workout routine, it’s advisable to do some warm-ups first. This will help condition your body and make the following workout routine less taxing on your body. Even better, avoid jumping on your first usual exercise or workout routine. Start out slowly and try to build up to 30 minutes regularly.
1. Walking or Strolling
Most people do not exactly view walking as a workout. But, for people with varicose veins, walking or ‘strolling’ is one of the best and most convenient exercises that you can do. It requires minimal effort and you can get it done at any time of the day.
What’s great about including walking as part of your workout routine is that it is so simple. So simple that you would not even notice that you already finished and did your workout for the day.
Walking or strolling is perfect for people who suffer from varicose veins but are too lazy or do not have the budget or time to visit the gym. You can simply do these exercises at any time of the day and easily incorporate them into your everyday life.
For example, instead of booking an Uber from work, you can instead walk home after work hours. Doing this will also save you a fair bit on transportation costs; using a cab, bus, train, etc.
2. Cycling
Given that varicose veins often appear in your legs, low-impact, calf-stimulating exercises like cycling helps regulate blood flow through your legs.
However, even though cycling has many benefits, it can worsen your varicose veins as well. As we have said before, your exercise or workout routine should not be over-strenuous.
That said, the key to achieving the full benefits of cycling is through balance and moderation. So keep an eye and log your duration, distance, and speed. Be careful not to overdo it and try to keep your cycling sessions between 30-45 minutes each.
3. Ankle Rotations
Another great exercise for people who don’t have time to go to the gym is ankle rotations. These exercises are great for people who have varicose veins and is a low-impact exercise that you can do anywhere.
For example, if you are on a long-haul flight, these exercises are your best friend because you only have a small amount of leg room to move in. Since being inactive or sitting for too long are not advisable for people who suffer from varicose veins, you should certainly do this exercise discreetly on the plane.
4. Yoga
Yoga is more of a workout program rather than an exercise per se, but you can still add this to your regular movement routine.
Those yoga postures you often see people doing can actually help your vascular and lymphatic system. Yoga helps make your circulation run smoothly and allows blood to return effectively to your heart. This keeps the blood from pooling around your legs, making you less prone to varicose veins.
All in all, the best exercises for people with varicose veins are those that fall into the mild to moderate category, are generally less strenuous, and can be accomplished in an hour or less regularly, preferably daily, or at minimum, every other day.
It also bears repeating that aside from these light exercises, you should have a balanced diet as well as keep an eye on your weight as well. These are the trifecta that can not only help your varicose veins but will ultimately improve your entire health synergistically.
Which methods have you found work best to help minimise the appearance of varicose veins? Let us know in the comments below, and join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!
