Feeling heaviness in the legs after a long jog is normal. However, if your legs feel tired or stiff for no reason, it could be due to an underlying condition known as varicose veins. The risk factor of heavy legs increases if you’re a female, overweight or older.
Finding out the cause is crucial for determining the proper treatment. While visiting a doctor is the best way to address the condition, there are a few treatment methods you can employ by yourself.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at a few reasons why your legs feel heavy and what you can do to relieve the symptoms.
Reasons for Heaviness in the Legs
The following are a few reasons for leg heaviness:
- Varicose Veins: According to the American Heart Association Journal, around 23% of Americans have varicose veins. This condition causes blood to pool in the legs and makes them feel tired and heavy.
- Overtraining: Athletes continually strive towards improvement and go through rigorous training to achieve that goal. This gives little time to the body muscles to repair themselves and results in heavy legs.
Other reasons include conditions such as Restless leg syndrome, Lumbar spinal stenosis, and Peripheral arterial disease.
Leg Cramps – What you can do about it
Most conditions that cause leg heaviness stem from leading a sedentary lifestyle. To counteract the symptoms, stay active by engaging in daily exercise. Activities like walking, swimming, and cycling help to keep the blood pumping and reduces other health risk factors.
Being overweight is another cause of heaviness. Again, exercising and controlling diet plays a key role in shedding extra weight and leading a healthier lifestyle. Doctors also recommend switching positions occasionally. Standing or sitting in the same position for prolonged periods reduces blood circulation. If the pain intensifies, try elevating your legs. This way, the body works less to pump fluids.
Smoking, among other things, negatively affects blood circulation and leads to a host of health complications. Some medical experts even recommend cutting down on salt intake to reduce the discomfort and pain caused by leg swelling.
Aside from implementing all the above-mentioned steps, schedule an appoint with a doctor. Varicose Veins Doctors houses leg cramps and varicose veins specialists in New York City. They offer effective diagnosis and treatment services for leg heaviness and help patients find relief from the pain.
Contact us today to book an appointment.
