Don’t Let Winter Stop You from These Helpful Indoor Exercises for Varicose Veins
When you have varicose veins, getting exercise is a good way to manage your symptoms. With temperatures in the NYC area getting frigidly cold in winter, though, it’s important to stay safe while being active. Fortunately, there are several indoor exercises you can do for varicose veins this season, so you can avoid the cold.
Why Exercise is Good for Varicose Veins
Varicose veins don’t cause symptoms in all cases. However, they can cause moderate or severe discomfort in some individuals. These veins might also cause other symptoms, such as itchiness. Exercising helps you improve your blood flow, resulting in less swelling and other symptoms of varicose veins. When you get regular physical activity, you’re also more likely to lose excess weight. Staying at a healthy weight can also help ease varicose vein symptoms and prevent more from developing.
Exercises You Can Do Indoors During These Colder Months
You don’t have to head outdoors into the cold in order to get exercise this winter. The following exercises can be done in your home:
- Going for walks: Avoid the cold, and walk inside your home to get your heart rate up. If you have stairs, going up and down them while walking around is also a good way to get a good workout.
- Leg lifts: Leg lifts help you build stronger muscles, which can help ease symptoms of varicose veins. You can do these by lying on one side and raising your leg up slowly. Lower your leg back down, and lie on your other side to stretch your other leg.
- Stretches: Stretching your leg muscles is an effective way to keep them flexible and relieve varicose vein symptoms. You can do calf stretches by pushing your body up on your toes, holding that position, then lowering back down.
- Exercise bikes: When you can’t ride a bike outside due to the cold, consider using an exercise bike. These bikes provide you with a way to exercise your legs while staying warm and dry.
Treatments for Varicose Veins
While exercising can help ease varicose vein symptoms, it won’t get rid of them completely. Professional treatments can eliminate unsightly varicose veins. Keep in mind that after these treatments, it’s still important to get regular exercise in order to stop varicose veins from developing again. The following are a few of the treatment options to consider if you have this type of vein problem.
- Laser treatment: Laser treatment, or Endo Venous Laser Treatment, involves inserting a thin laser fiber into the affected vein in order to close it and prevent blood from entering again. This type of treatment is minimally invasive and only requires local anesthesia.
- Foam sclerotherapy: This treatment involves injecting a solution into varicose veins to close them, which stops the accumulation of blood in these blood vessels. Sclerotherapy is also considered minimally invasive.
- Ambulatory phlebectomy: This form of treatment involves creating tiny incisions in the affected part of the leg in order to take varicose veins out. Phlebectomy only requires local anesthesia and is another minimally invasive procedure.
Finding Vein Treatment in Manhattan, NY
If you need vein treatment this winter, contact Schulman Vein and Laser Center to schedule an appointment. During your visit, you’ll meet our vein physicians in Manhattan, NY to discuss treatment options. We also offer treatment in Long Island, New York.