Sitting is the New Smoking: How Your Sedentary Lifestyle Affects Your Health And What You Can Do About It

Sedentary Lifestyle, Meet Better Veins for Life®

At Vein Specialists of the South, our goal is to improve your vein health and quality of life. We always encourage lifestyle changes to improve your vein health. When necessary we recommend procedures to treat the underlying cause of your vein problems.

Our Better Veins for Life® Principles  are the heart of your conservative care. You can start them right now, even before your first appointment with your vein specialists.

1. Compression: Wearing high-quality, medical graduated compression hose, socks, leggings, or sleeves improves venous circulation, even when you’re sitting or standing still for long periods of time. The best part is these aren’t your grandmother’s compression socks; there are fashionable options for everyday wear, business attire, and exercising.
2. Exercise: Taking daily walks, riding a bicycle, or just flexing your calf muscles throughout the day will improve your vein health. Start slow, develop healthy fitness habits, and you’ll see gradual improvements to your leg health.
3. Leg Elevation: For 30-minutes per day, elevate your feet above your heart. You can do this by propping your legs up comfortably on a pillow or straight up the wall. This helps relieve swelling and assists blood flow from the feet back to the heart.
4. Sensible Footwear: Ditch the high heels for a while and opt instead for fashionable flats. Heels limit the ‘calf pump’ and venous blood return, which can lead to spider veins and varicose veins. Once you’ve made significant progress with your vein health, you may want to go back to heels in moderation. Dr. Harper likes to say, “Save your high heels for special occasions!”
5. Weight Management: If you’re overweight or obese, it’s very important to lose weight. The pressure of the extra weight on your veins impacts your blood flow, the one way check valves and vein walls. If diet and exercise are not giving you the results you want, speak with your doctor, as difficulty losing weight can be caused by chronic health conditions and/or medications.

When To Seek Care From a Vein Specialist?

If you suspect you have venous disease, or you have a family history of varicose veins and blood clots, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with a vein specialist. Book an appointment with your doctor or request a referral to a vein specialist if you experience:

• Restless leg syndrome
• Spider veins on the ankles or legs
• Unexplained leg pain, heaviness, or fatigue
• Visible or bulging varicose veins
• Blood clots: DVT, SVT or PE

Additionally, even if you don’t have any noticeable symptoms, it’s a good idea to seek an evaluation if you are considered high risk for developing venous disease. Risk factors include:

• Age 65+
• Family history of venous disease, including blood clots
• Hormonal birth control use
• Long periods of sitting or standing still
• Recent bed rest due to injury, illness, surgery, or high-risk pregnancy
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Multiple pregnancies
• Weight gain