Most people felt heavy legs. In most cases, this condition is explained by a strong load and pressure exerted on the legs. In this case, this is a completely normal reaction of your body to the load. However, what are the causes of heaviness in the legs if you did not do exhausting exercises and did not load your legs at all? The fact is that this phenomenon may indicate the development of a serious health problem. Of course, do not neglect the consultation with a doctor. Nevertheless, before you go to the hospital, we recommend that you read the next article, where we will analyze the causes of heaviness in the legs. So let's get started. To begin with, we will deal with the nature of this phenomenon.
Heaviness in the legs is often described as balanced, hard, tired legs: they are difficult to lift, they are difficult to move. It seems as if you are pulling a five-kilogram bag of flour on each of the limbs. What will help alleviate suffering is to find out the cause of the development of the unpleasant phenomenon.
Symptoms
Each of us from time to time experienced a feeling of heaviness in our legs. But when nothing more than a casual feeling takes on an intrusive nature, you should seek the advice of a specialist.
- Swelling of the limbs.
- The legs have a kind of bumpy shape, veins - knobby.
- Slow wound healing.
- Pale or bluish skin color.
If you observe the above symptoms, be sure to visit the hospital!
Reason # 1: peripheral vascular disease
If you often feel heavy legs, this may be a sign of peripheral vascular disease. This is not just a sign of aging, but a serious disruption of the circulatory system, which poses a threat to life. Peripheral vascular disease is a common circulatory problem that affects about one in five people over the age of fifty. Symptoms include pain and heaviness in the legs. There is an increase in discomfort while walking and moving up the stairs. After a short rest, the symptoms disappear. The thing is that blood vessels are narrowed due to too high cholesterol in the blood or the presence of plaques in the arteries. Remember that heaviness in the legs with peripheral vascular disease can provoke the development of heart disease or lead to a stroke.
This is one of many forms of cardiovascular disease that results from the accumulation of fat deposits in the walls of your arteries and their narrowing. Without enough circulating blood, the legs begin to experience fatigue and pain, and episodes of seizures are possible. It is important to note that people with tobacco, alcohol or drug addiction are at risk. Eating disorders and a sedentary lifestyle are also dangerous.
Reason # 2: Varicose Veins
It is legs that usually suffer from varicose veins , the veins in which expand and become knotted. As a result, pain and heaviness in the legs become constant companions of a person. The causes of varicose veins are many: aging, pregnancy (due to fluctuations in hormones and increased uterine pressure), hormonal events (menopause), obesity, heredity, standing and sedentary professions.
The veins become enlarged when they begin to lose elasticity, and the valves weaken, allowing the blood that needs to circulate through the body to not move through the veins. It is stagnant blood in the veins that can lead to the development of leg fatigue. The reason for the severity in the legs of women is that they are more likely than men to suffer from this unpleasant disease.
Reason 3: Overtraining Syndrome
Athletes are constantly striving to improve their body shape. Nevertheless, when they train in excess, not devoting proper time to rest and muscle recovery, they run the risk of getting a feeling of heaviness in the legs.
It is important to remember that during physical exertion, our muscles experience incredible stress: therefore, it is necessary to regularly arrange rest days for them. This is especially true for people who prefer sports that are somehow related to the high load on their legs. For example, runners and cyclists experience pain and heaviness in their legs more often than other athletes.
Reason # 4: lumbar spinal stenosis
This disease is associated with narrowing of the spinal canal. Reducing the clearance leads to compression of the roots of the spinal cord, which causes pain. Although this pain in most cases extends to the lower back, it can also occur in the legs, causing weakness, numbness and heaviness. Here is another reason why heaviness in the legs is not a joke and requires immediate help from a specialist.
Reason # 5: Fibromyalgia
There is a strong association between fibromyalgia, a condition that causes chronic muscle pain and fatigue, and heaviness in the legs. Studies show that people with fibromyalgia are ten times more likely to suffer from the so-called restless legs syndrome.
Reason # 6: habits and more
There are many other reasons why your legs feel heavy. So, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to this unpleasant sensation. If you sit motionless for several hours or stand for a long time without moving and walking, then the veins will fill with blood. Legs may swell, become heavy and stiff. Fortunately, this phenomenon is temporary, and a walk can solve this problem.
A hot and humid day can also cause leg swelling. The situation is often complicated by the use of alcoholic beverages in hot weather. If you are forced to stay warm for a long time, reduce or completely eliminate the use of alcoholic beverages - this will allow blood to move, and not freeze in the limbs.
It is also important to wear comfortable, not too tight and tight clothes. Tight clothing can interfere with the healthy flow of blood through the veins. If it is violated, then the organs will not be able to function normally. Therefore, when choosing an outfit, do not forget about comfort.
Risk zone
As can be understood from the above information, the treatment of heaviness in the legs is a complex process, since there are a lot of reasons for the development of an unpleasant phenomenon. However, there are some risk factors:
- smoking: compounds in cigarettes can disrupt the circulatory system;
- age: as a result of aging, a narrowing of the spine occurs, which, in turn, affects the blood circulation process;
- obesity: overweight is a serious burden for the whole body, including the spine.
A common cause of heaviness in the legs of women is pregnancy. Particularly at risk are people who smoke and drink alcohol on an ongoing basis, take medications that affect the functioning of the central nervous system. Also, there is a high probability of developing a feeling of heaviness in the limbs in people who have damaged nerves.
Heaviness in the legs: what to do and how to treat
Restless legs syndrome - this condition is characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs. Often it is described as pain, throbbing and heaviness in the limbs, even while resting. The reason for the development of the syndrome is unknown, but researchers believe that there is a special genetic component.
Doctors also suspect that the cause of severity in the limbs may be brain dysfunction (namely, a violation of the processing of motion signals). “Feeling heavy in my legs - what should I do?” - Many people often ask. If you ask yourself this question, then the following selection of ways to get rid of the feeling of heavy limbs is for you.
Massage
A massage procedure is to some extent necessary for everyone, because it will help improve your blood circulation. Massage is the true enemy of “clogging” and stagnation of blood in the arteries. Plus, it's just nice! In most cases, for the treatment of heaviness in the legs, masseurs turn to long strokes: they help the blood to move from the legs to the heart. An hourly massage works wonders at least once a week!
Walking
Go for a walk. You do not have to go in for walking - you can walk a distance of not more than a few kilometers per day. Believe me, this will have a profound effect on your overall health. Walking an hour a day for several days a week will also help lower your blood pressure.
Develop your own walking program: plan where you are going to go, and devote time daily to completing the plan.
You can start with just thirty minutes a day. The best time for a walk will be morning, immediately after waking up. Put on sportswear, do exercises and just go outside - further, most likely, the legs will go on their own. The advantage of walking in the early morning is that, since you just woke up and were not too active, you have a lot of energy and your legs are not overstrained yet. Gradually increase the duration of the walk. For example, add five minutes weekly to the main time. Soon, thirty minutes will turn into forty-five, then at one o’clock, and later into a real workout. Go at an easy pace and do not rush. Soon you will notice a huge difference in how you feel, and most importantly, you will get rid of heaviness in the legs.
Yoga
Do yoga. Another easy, relaxing way to significantly improve the circulation of blood in your body is yoga. Nowadays, there are many yoga classes: different styles of classes, different goals.
Besides the fact that yoga helps to get rid of heaviness in the limbs, it also helps to improve stretching and overall fitness. The great thing about yoga is that slow movements and stretching will relax you and reduce anxiety.
Tai chi
Perhaps you saw people practicing in the park, or you saw photos of people in the hall: as a rule, several people line up in a net, their arms are extended, they move slowly. People spin and turn, get up, and then sit. All actions are performed at an extremely slow pace, nonetheless rhythmically. The benefits of tai chi have been talked about a lot in the last couple of decades, as practicing this special sport helps improve health. Previously, tai chi was a martial art, later classes they began to acquire the nature of training to improve mood and improve overall health.
The great thing about tai chi is that it can be started by a person who is even extremely distant from sports and an active lifestyle. All thanks to the slow pace of work. At first, many people think that tai chi does not affect their health and body at all, since they do not feel any discomfort that is usual for other sports. In reality, training has a powerful effect on the body. Tai chi improves muscle function and blood circulation, and also normalizes blood pressure. Thus, if you are looking for an answer to the question of how to treat heaviness in the legs, it is obvious: try tai chi!
Advice
Of course, the best solution in the treatment of heaviness in the legs (the reasons we have already considered) is to visit a doctor. Nevertheless, the following recommendations will reduce the suffering and discomfort caused by a feeling of heaviness in the limbs:
- Lose weight if necessary. Obesity can lead to varicose veins, as well as diabetes and the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries, which, in turn, blocks blood flow and contributes to the development of a feeling of heaviness in the legs.
- Give up bad habits. For example, smoking is a risk factor for the development of diseases characterized by severe limbs.
- Take a weekend and take a break from intense workout in the gym: muscle overload can lead to a feeling of heaviness in the legs.
- Raise your legs 15-30 centimeters above the level of your heart. This contributes to the active movement of blood, which should not only stagnate in your legs, but also move through the veins.
- Foot massage is a healthy habit.
- Wear compression stockings as they improve blood circulation.
Heaviness in the legs in most cases is the result of an unhealthy sedentary lifestyle, so the key to a successful treatment for this unpleasant phenomenon will be the introduction of any physical activity in your daily life. Just choose the optimal training program for yourself: it can be daily walks, massage, yoga. Of course, you should discuss dietary changes with your doctor with your diet. Be sure to find out how much activity your body can tolerate, and only based on the recommendations of a specialist, draw up an exercise program.
However, it is important to remember that strict exercise programs are not for everyone: excessive exercise can do more harm than good. Endurance is an extremely individual thing. Just try to improve your health. Yes, sometimes it’s very difficult to start playing sports and eating right. We cannot ignore the pain that we experience in sports. Nevertheless, it is important to start and continue working on yourself. Only as you continue to play sports, eat right and not give up do you begin to feel much better. Your blood circulation will normalize - your blood pressure will decrease - your general condition will improve and your legs will strengthen - more energy will appear!