How High Must You Lift Your Legs for Better Circulation?
Here’s how to lift your legs for better circulation. Elevating your legs, ankles and feet to an appropriate height can help relieve some of the discomfort in your legs for better circulation. Peripheral vascular disease, which is characterised by poor circulation, most often affects the lower extremities. Lifestyle changes, treating underlying medical conditions and a durable recliner to promote leg elevation are your best chance for improving your circulation.
Here’s Some Helpful Hints on How to Lift Your Legs for Better Circulation
Identification
The symptoms of poor circulation will vary depending on the artery that is affected. But most commonly coldness or numbness of the feet is present. The skin may also appear to have a blue or red tint. Swelling of the feet, ankle or legs can also be a sign of poor circulation since the blood furthest from your heart has to work harder to return upwards through the circulatory system. In the meantime, elevating your legs can ease discomfort caused by poor circulation.
Cause
The most common causes of poor circulation to the feet and legs are atherosclerosis and diabetes. Peripheral arterial disease can also cause poor circulation. People with the peripheral arterial disease have a four-to-five times greater risk of a heart attack or stroke, according to the American Heart Association. Smoking, living an inactive lifestyle, or having high blood pressure or cholesterol can directly affect your circulation and influence the development of cardiovascular problems. Pregnancy can cause poor circulation during your final trimester because the enlarged uterus applies pressure to blood vessels of the pelvis and legs.
Leg Elevation For Better Leg Elevation
Lift your legs for better circulation. To improve your circulation, elevate your legs above hip level to promote venous drainage and reduce swelling. It’s recommended to elevate your legs more than 45 degrees, so your legs should be lifted and propped approximately 8 to 12 inches above your hips. Keep your legs elevated for approximately twenty minutes. Elevating your legs as often as possible will help ease the swelling of the lower extremities. However, it will not treat your poor circulation.
Elevating your legs can help improve blood flow in your lower extremities. How? The simple answer is gravity. Oxygen-depleted blood returns to your heart through your veins. Unlike your arteries, the pressure in your veins is relatively low. To help move blood along, your veins use tiny valves and the contraction of surrounding muscles to aid in moving blood back toward your heart. When you’re sitting or standing, oxygen-depleted blood in your legs must also work against gravity in order to return to your heart.
Elevating your legs means that gravity is now working in your favor. This may help improve blood flow in the veins in your legs.
Home Remedies For Better Leg Elevation and Circulation
If you are overweight, lower your calorie and fat intake in combination with the moderate exercise done at least five times per week for thirty minutes per day. If you travel long distances in the car, stop frequently to move your legs and stretch. Avoid crossing your legs.
Home Equipment For Better Circulation
Ambassador lift and recline chairs offer optimal leg elevation on a recliner. The steel frame offers the simultaneous OR independent movement of the backrest and the footrest for enhanced comfort. Leg elevation is vital for individuals who struggle with circulatory conditions or lymphatic drainage into the legs. And furthermore, leg elevation can offer relief for aching and inflamed joints of the legs and feet. Recliner leg elevation systems can be adjusted to suit angles and height requirements.
Credit for this article is to Melissa McNamara for her article @ Livingstrong.com.
