How to relieve heavy legs?

You should know that heavy legs affect about 15 million French people, mainly women since about 70% of them are affected.

It is a fairly recurrent problem that can affect your quality of life on a daily basis. Heavy legs are the result of poor venous capital or poor circulation. It should be noted that poor circulation can be linked to being overweight, a lack ofphysical exercise, an addiction to smoking or simply heredity. One thing is certain, before giving you advice on how to fight against this sensation of heavy legs, if you are a smoker, you must absolutely reduce or even stop your smoking.

As for the symptoms, it is essentially a feeling of heaviness, initially in the feet, and then little by little this pain moves up the legs. This sensation generally occurs on a hot day, or after standing for too long or when tired. Heavy legs are often accompanied by tingling and muscle cramps, often at night.

By changing certain daily habits, this feeling of heavy legs can disappear.

Practice a sport activity.

Well, it's true that finally sport comes up in a lot of our articles, but there's nothing better than a little sport to maintain our health. Here, sport will help boost venous return. Some sports are to be preferred, others are to be avoided. We will opt more for individual sports rather than team sports that can be violent for the legs. Rugby, basketball or judo are particularly to be avoided. As for the sports to adopt: if you are not necessarily a sports fan, walking can be a good solution, a thirty-minute walk every day can be beneficial for sore legs. If you don't have the time, try to include walking in your daily routine, walking to work for example, if it is possible for you. You can also substitute walking with cycling ; cycling stimulates the contraction of the leg muscles and is a very good exercise for good blood circulation.

Watch your diet.

Diet can also be a solution to the problem of heavy legs, especially if you are overweight or obese. Opt for a balanced diet. All the more so as certain foods will promotevenous insufficiency. Cold cuts and dishes, being too rich in salt, should be avoided. As for those to be favoured, foods rich in antioxidants are ideal for protecting the vein walls. We can mention for example red fruits but also vegetables as a whole. Don't forget to watch what you drink, avoid drinking alcohol which will tend to dilate the arteries and veins. Green tea will also be ideal for toning the walls of the blood vessels . And finally, drink enough water, at least 1.5 litres a day.

Avoid heat.

Heat tends to dilate the veins, preventing an ideal venous return and therefore favouring this sensation of heavy legs, it is necessary to avoid heat sources as much as possible. Therefore, hot baths are not recommended, nor are saunas or hot waxing. It is even recommended to finish your shower with a jet of cold water, focusing on your legs. The cold has a vasoconstrictor effect that increases blood pressure. In the same vein, prolonged exposure to the sun, wearing a Lytess bathing suit, is not a good idea, nor is a house with underfloor heating. Instead, opt for a self-tanner, which will do the trick just fine!

Keep your legs straight.

Whether you are standing, sitting or lying down, pay attention to your posture. The blood circulates better when the legs are stretched. Therefore, whether you are sitting or standing, you should not stay in the same position for too long. While you are sleeping, raise your legs slightly to facilitate circulation, about ten centimetres with the help of cushions will be sufficient. When you are sitting, do not cross your legs, on the contrary, extend them as much as possible. And if you have to sit or stand for a long time, remember to take regular breaks by walking and wiggling your toes to stimulate the circulation.

Massage the legs.

The ideal is to practice a massage in the morning when you wake up or in the evening before going to bed. It is not always easy to find someone who will like to give you massages, so you can practice what is calledself-massage. From the feet to the thighs, i.e. from the bottom to the top, insisting on the fold behind the knee, practice a circular massage that is quite strong on the whole of your legs. Do not hesitate to use a massage oil to add a touch of well-being.

Choose the right clothes.

Prefer soft, loose-fitting clothes, preferably made of cotton, which are much more comfortable for your legs. Avoid jeans that are too tight or skirts that are too tight. As for shoes, avoid high heels because the venous return will be more difficult in the calves, and also avoid shoes with soles that are too thin, such as ballerinas.

In cases where heavy legs become too unbearable, a physiotherapist can perform a manual lymphatic drainage. This is a thirty-minute massage that is limited to the swollen areas and soothes this uncomfortable sensation.

Wear Lytess leggings or tights.

At Lytess, we have developed a range of products designed to combat heavy legs. Depending on your preferences, you can choose the light legs tights which will relieve your legs thanks to its knitting with decreasing compression; you can also choose the toned legs leggings which will allow to find light and toned legs.

If this feeling of heavy legs persists, do not hesitate to talk about it with a health professional. He or she will undoubtedly be able to prescribe solutions and treatment appropriate to your needs.