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Post-workout tips for varicose veins
Do certain exercises exacerbate varicose veins? After I run on the treadmill and do the stair stepper, my varicose veins seem larger and more obvious.
One way to prevent blood pooling in your legs after exercise is to make sure you cool-down properly. Reduce the intensity of your exercise five to ten minutes before the end of your workout. As your pace slows, your heart rate will remain elevated even though the demand for oxygen in your muscles is diminished. As you continue the activity at a lower intensity level, the working muscles involved will contract and relax, helping to pump blood mechanically back towards the heart.
The cool-down period is not over when the exercise ends. You need to stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus and calves—all the muscles that you have just worked. Your heart rate will continue to fall, and stretching will help relax your muscles and make it easier for blood to flow back to your torso.
Do abdominal or upper body exercises. Because blood carries oxygen to working muscles, doing these exercises will divert the blood from your legs to the set of working muscles in your upper body.
Try propping your legs up higher than your heart while lying down and stretching to let gravity drain the excess blood. This is a trick used by bicycle racers. If you can, stay off your feet for a few minutes, but avoid sitting still for long periods of time immediately after your workout.
Why not chat to other iVillagers about exercise on the Love Your Body message board. Take a look at some of the LIVE discussions happening now on the board:
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