Especially given what’s happened over the last two years, many of us are finding ourselves working from home and living more sedentary lives than before.
But whether it’s due to existing health conditions or new lifestyle changes, poor leg circulation can lead to several unpleasant complications.
Symptoms (https://www.cvmus.com/vascular-treatment/poor-circulation-treatment-and-causes) can include swollen legs and feet, varicose veins, restless legs, aches, discomfort, and many more.
Luckily though, there’s a wide variety of simple solutions that anyone can use to give their blood flow a good nudge in the right direction.
And if you’re familiar with us at all, you know we’re all about muscle stimulation and healthy blood flow. That’s why today, we’ll be covering six quick and easy tips to get your leg circulation back on track.
To start things off, we’ll be talking about the number one most effective way to get the job done.
If you’re living with poor leg circulation, you don’t have to go out and run a 5k to fix it.
That would certainly help, but you can help relieve the issue with far less effort. In fact, you don’t even have to be standing up!
Outside of regular exercise like walking, running, stretching or yoga, lifting weights, and sports, you can get the blood pumping to your lower body with small, easy movements while you’re sitting or lying down.
1. HEEL AND TOE RAISES
Next time you’re sitting down at work, plant your feet flat on the floor and try out some heel raises.
To perform a heel raise, simply push through the ground with the balls of your feet and hold your heels up for a few seconds, then lower them back down.
Do three sets of ten of these, and then you can reverse the movement and do some toe raises. This time, you’ll keep your heels planted on the floor and lift your toes up.
Once you’ve done three sets of ten heel and toe raises, you’ll definitely feel a difference in your leg circulation.
2. ANKLE CIRCLES
Another movement you can easily do while sitting is ankle circles. Gently drawing circles with your toes fifteen to twenty times in each direction is a great way to get the blood flowing in your legs and feet.
You can do each of these movements one foot at a time or simultaneously, and whether you’re sitting or lying down.
3. LYING KNEE LIFTS
Whenever you’re lying down on your back, doing some lying knee lifts can loosen up the hips and help improve your leg circulation.
To do a knee lift, keep one leg flat and bring the opposite knee to your chest, then alternate back and forth.
Compression socks and stockings are made specifically for those who spend a lot of time on their feet, sitting down, or struggle with poor leg circulation.
They’re made with a special stretchy yet snugly fitting material that applies slight pressure to your legs to promote healthy blood flow.
And the great thing about compression footwear is that it’s easy to find! You can usually pick up a pair of socks or stockings at your local pharmacy or supermarket.
Elevating your legs is one of the easiest ways to improve your leg circulation.
If you spend a lot of time sitting during the day, pick yourself up a footstool to put under your feet. With your legs higher off the ground, your body will have an easier time moving blood to and from your lower body.
You can also improve your blood flow in your sleep! When you get into bed, simply place a pillow or bed wedge underneath your legs to elevate them.
This tip is all about being aware of how you position your body.
If you find yourself sitting on one or both of your legs, make sure to catch yourself and put your feet back on the floor.
Keeping your legs in a tucked position — especially for extended periods of time — can disrupt your circulation and may lead to some of the symptoms listed above.
Massages are a relaxing, healthy way to improve leg circulation and melt away stress.
Professional athletes regularly get them because they stimulate blood flow and help speed up the recovery process, but everyday people can also access these benefits.
Not to mention, if a massage isn’t in the budget, you can always give yourself one and focus on your legs and feet!
BEMER therapy is like hooking your body up to a wireless phone charger.
BEMER devices stimulate muscles to temporarily increase local blood flow for improved muscle performance and recovery. Temporary enhanced local circulation is achieved by delivering a patented therapeutic signal using a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) technology. This extra kick in energy facilitates the transportation of vital materials (ex. Oxygen) and clearing metabolic byproducts (ex CO2).
If you’re struggling with poor leg circulation, BEMER therapy is an easy and effective way to combat it.
Specialized applicators give you the ability to target your lower body whether you’re sitting or lying down, and can provide results in as little as two eight-minute sessions a day.
You can apply the BEMER signal to your whole body with the B.BODY applicator, boost blood flow in your lower body while sitting with the B.SIT, hit your legs and lower back with the B.PAD, or target small areas with the B.SPOT.
The possibilities are endless, and the results can be life-changing.
To learn more about BEMER and how it can help you fight poor leg circulation, get in touch with a BEMER distributor near you.
They’ll give you any information you need, answer questions, and provide live demonstrations for any BEMER product you’re curious about.
With BEMER, better circulation, better health, and better life are just sixteen minutes away!
*These statements have not been evaluated by Health Canada. BEMER does not provide any medical advice or services. This device is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. It should not be used for any purpose other than as described in the user manual. Please consult your own healthcare provider if you have any medical issues.