For many Australians, sitting for most of the day is quite normal. Over half of the current workforce are in roles where the majority of their work day involves sitting. A sedentary lifestyle with prolonged periods of inactivity can contribute to a variety of health issues, including back pain, excess weight gain and the development of varicose veins.
Vein Care has provided non-surgical treatment for varicose veins and other vein conditions in Melbourne for over 20 years. Our dedicated team prioritises your health, comfort and welfare with a range of treatment options along with resources to prevent and minimise the development and impact of varicose veins. Below, we look at how proper sitting positioning can prevent or reduce their severity, and we explore how to get rid of varicose veins if they do develop.
Why do Varicose Veins Develop?
Varicose veins develop when vein valves weaken and become unable to circulate blood efficiently. This leads to pooling blood that causes swollen, twisting and discoloured vessels that can cause pain and discomfort. In some cases, varicose veins are a minor cosmetic issue. Other times, they can cause significant pain and require treatment to prevent additional health issues.
Any superficial veins can become varicose veins; however, the condition more commonly affects legs. This is due to the increased pressure on veins in the lower half of your body, which can be exacerbated by poor blood flow, low activity, excessive weight, smoking and poor diet.
How Sitting All Day Impacts Your Veins
Long periods of low activity can contribute to the development of varicose veins because of the way your body pumps blood through the legs. When we walk, each step we take naturally helps pump blood back up to the heart. Our calf muscles contract and apply pressure to blood vessels in our legs as we move around, helping to maintain a consistent blood flow from our heart to our legs and feet.
When sitting for long periods of time, those muscles are inactive and your veins have to do all the work moving your blood around. This results in reduced blood flow and the pooling effect that can lead to the development of varicose veins. Sustained inactivity over the years can aggravate existing varicose veins, turning any small visible vein into long twisted veins that bulge through your skin.
How to Sit Properly
If you sit for long periods of time each day, there are a few simple ergonomic practices, sitting positions and other habits that can help keep the blood flowing and assist in preventing varicose veins.
Put Your Legs Up
Elevate your legs as often as possible. This can be as simple as resting your legs up onto a vacant corner of your desk from time to time while on a phone call at work. While relaxing at home watching a movie or reading a book, find ways to sit with your legs elevated, for example, by placing them up on the couch, on a coffee table or a pouffe.
Don’t Cross Your Legs
While at a desk, avoid crossing your legs, knees or ankles. Instead, sit with your feet flat on the floor with your ankles in front of your knees and your knees at the same height or slightly lower than your hips. Keep a small space between the seat and your knees. This position maximises blood flow while helping you improve your overall posture.
Keep in mind that crossing your legs isn’t detrimental to vein health alone. Standing or sitting in any single position for prolonged periods can contribute to varicose veins. The key is to keep moving every 30 minutes or so to encourage blood flow in your legs.
Wearing the Right Footwear
Avoid any footwear that minimises the full range of motion of your ankle and foot. This includes high heels, which keep your calves in a tensed position. Opt for trainers or flat sole shoes that activate your calf muscles when moving to pump blood through your veins. If you do need to wear heels, opt for a lower heel with arch support or speak to a podiatrist to find alternatives that suit your aesthetic needs.
Small Exercises Do Wonders
The veins in your calves don’t need a lot to pump blood, which is good news. Simply standing up from your desk every 30 minutes and walking around for a couple of minutes can help. You can also do some simple calf raises or flex your ankles while seated to keep your muscles pumping and prevent blood pooling.
If you stand in one position for long periods at work, try to take a break every 30 minutes to sit and/or walk around. If that’s not possible, try intermittently transferring weight between your legs to flex your muscles and keep the blood moving.
Prolonged Sitting is Bad
To reduce your risk of developing varicose veins and other health issues, try to avoid sitting continuously for more than 60 to 180 minutes at a time on a regular basis. Apart from physical varicose veins symptoms that impact your day-to-day life, like soreness, chronic aches and pains, the condition can potentially lead to other health issues.
Complications include blood leaking into the skin and tissue, resulting in painful swelling, discolouration and inflammation. Another condition called lipodermatosclerosis can also occur, where leg tissue hardens. In extremely rare cases, deep vein thrombosis or blood clots can form.
More Ways to Prevent Varicose Veins
A family history of varicose veins is ultimately the biggest risk factor. Half of all people with varicose veins have a family history of them. If both your parents have varicose veins, there is a 90% chance you’ll develop them at some point during life. Understanding your risk profile early can help educate you on how to get rid of varicose veins.
Lowering Your Risk
Aside from avoiding prolonged sitting, ensuring you sit properly and taking regular breaks for movement as outlined above, there are other steps you can take to minimise your risk of developing varicose veins.
Aerobic Exercise
Excess weight and poor physical fitness increases your risk of developing varicose veins. The higher your body weight, the more pressure there is on veins in your legs. Aerobic exercises like walking and running are great for your veins as they improve blood flow and work out your calf and leg muscles.
Diet
A fibre-rich diet without too much salt also contributes to good vein health. Maintain a balanced diet with food rich in folic acid like dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans. Folic acid helps the body repair cells and vascular tissue while promoting the creation of red blood cells. Foods high in flavonoids like onions, garlic, broccoli, capsicum and blueberries reduce blood pressure and improve circulation, preventing blood from pooling in your veins.
Tight Clothing
If you’re at risk of developing varicose veins, it may also be helpful to avoid wearing particularly tight clothing, especially around the waist and pelvis. This can constrict blood vessels, reducing circulation and blood flow. Aim to wear comfortable clothing that allows for a full range of motion across all your muscles.
Compression Socks
If you have a family history of varicose veins, you can also talk to a specialist about using compression socks, hose or stockings. Compression stockings apply consistent, gentle pressure on your legs to keep blood from pooling in the veins and decrease swelling.
Vein Screening
If you have a family history of varicose veins, it’s a good idea to get screened by a vein specialist to determine if you are developing varicose veins or venous reflux disease. It’s important to take action when your notice any varicose veins symptoms, as early treatment is easier and more effective. An ultrasound is a common non-invasive method of testing.
Varicose Veins Treatment Options
If you have unsightly, uncomfortable or painful varicose veins, there is a variety of minimally invasive varicose veins treatment options. These include Sclerotherapy and Microsclerotherapy as well as Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT). Treatments can be conducted in as little as 30 minutes even with no future recurrence. Depending on the circumstances and severity of the condition, multiple treatments may be required to achieve the best results.
Book a Consultation at a Vein Care Clinic in Melbourne
Vein Care provides a range of skin care treatments including non-surgical treatments to remove varicose veins and spider veins. To find out more or to make an appointment for a consultation at any of our clinics, please call our helpful patient service staff on 1300 730 100 or contact us online.
