HEAVINESS OF THE LOWER LIMBS
The feeling of “heavy legs” is a symptom that women often complain about, indeed, this affects the female sex more for hormonal reasons.
This discomfort occurs mainly in spring and summer, but it is true that there are numerous cases in which the heaviness of the lower limbs is also present in the coldest periods of the year.
Obese or overweight women are more affected and those who lea a sedentary lifestyle or who maintain an upright or sitting position for too long during the day.
Often there is also evident swelling that can be localised only in the ankles or in other areas (back of the foot, calves, knees, thighs), at other times no swelling is evident (initial stage of edema not clinically visible).
It is also possible for the heaviness of the lower limbs to occur only in the premenstrual phase and often it is not concomitant with venous insufficiency.
But what is the cause of this annoying symptom?
Apart from the cases in which the legs are heavy and tired due to actual muscle fatigue, the main cause of the feeling of heaviness is edema, the accumulation of lymph in the tissues that are above the muscle band (defined by many as “water retention”).
There are two circulatory systems in our body:
- one responsible for blood circulation, called the Arterio-Venous System
- the other responsible for the transport of lymph (liquid formed by water and proteins), this is called the Lymphatic System.
There are several pathologies characterised by edema, from the simplest pictures, which concern the initial stages of primary lymphatic insufficiency in which the accumulation of fluids in the interstitial tissue may not be evident. The leg is not actually larger (but the patient already feels the discomfort and perhaps in the evening hours begins to see slight swelling), to the various forms of lipolymphedema (the so-called cellulite pathologies), to the various dysmetabolic syndromes that involve hormonal disorders, up to heart and vascular diseases.
Thus, we can identify at least four types of edema:
- Systemic
- Venous
- Interstitial
- Lymphatic
GENERAL ADVICE
- Walk regularly and engage in regular physical activity.
- Sit correctly: back slightly reclined backwards and legs not crossed.
- Raise the foot of the bed approximately 20 cm.
- Maintain a normal weight with a balanced diet, low in sodium and maintain the correct functionality of the bowel.
- Avoid clothes that are too tight and adherent and use comfortable shoes with heels between 3 and 5 cm.
- When bathing or showering, keep water at a temperature not exceeding 37 ° C.
- Avoid placing your legs too close to heat sources (stoves or fireplaces).
- Take long walks in the water or swim while avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun.
THERAPIES
For a correct clinical-therapeutic classification it is important to contact a specialist doctor who will be able to perform a careful clinical examination and request all the necessary laboratory tests (glycemic and lipid structure, liver, renal and thyroid function…) and instrumental (EchoColorDoppler) to be able to implement the most appropriate therapy:
- Pharmacological therapy (Phlebotonics, Coumarins, Drugs that act on the cellular matrix, Fibrinolytics …).
- Elastocompression.
- Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
- Carboxytherapy (for the therapeutic action on the microcirculation and the anti-edema effect).
- Diet therapy (diet rich in fruit and vegetables, low in sodium, with protein-amino acid supplementation and plenty of water).
***For further information, I recommend reading the article on cellulitis.
HEAVINESS OF THE LOWER LIMBS
The feeling of “heavy legs” is a symptom that women often complain about, indeed, this affects the female sex more for hormonal reasons.
This discomfort occurs mainly in spring and summer, but it is true that there are numerous cases in which the heaviness of the lower limbs is also present in the coldest periods of the year.
Obese or overweight women are more affected and those who lea a sedentary lifestyle or who maintain an upright or sitting position for too long during the day.
Often there is also evident swelling that can be localised only in the ankles or in other areas (back of the foot, calves, knees, thighs), at other times no swelling is evident (initial stage of edema not clinically visible).
It is also possible for the heaviness of the lower limbs to occur only in the premenstrual phase and often it is not concomitant with venous insufficiency.
But what is the cause of this annoying symptom?
Apart from the cases in which the legs are heavy and tired due to actual muscle fatigue, the main cause of the feeling of heaviness is edema, the accumulation of lymph in the tissues that are above the muscle band (defined by many as “water retention”).
There are two circulatory systems in our body:
- one responsible for blood circulation, called the Arterio-Venous System
- the other responsible for the transport of lymph (liquid formed by water and proteins), this is called the Lymphatic System.
There are several pathologies characterised by edema, from the simplest pictures, which concern the initial stages of primary lymphatic insufficiency in which the accumulation of fluids in the interstitial tissue may not be evident. The leg is not actually larger (but the patient already feels the discomfort and perhaps in the evening hours begins to see slight swelling), to the various forms of lipolymphedema (the so-called cellulite pathologies), to the various dysmetabolic syndromes that involve hormonal disorders, up to heart and vascular diseases.
Thus, we can identify at least four types of edema:
- Systemic
- Venous
- Interstitial
- Lymphatic
GENERAL ADVICE
- Walk regularly and engage in regular physical activity.
- Sit correctly: back slightly reclined backwards and legs not crossed.
- Raise the foot of the bed approximately 20 cm.
- Maintain a normal weight with a balanced diet, low in sodium and maintain the correct functionality of the bowel.
- Avoid clothes that are too tight and adherent and use comfortable shoes with heels between 3 and 5 cm.
- When bathing or showering, keep water at a temperature not exceeding 37 ° C.
- Avoid placing your legs too close to heat sources (stoves or fireplaces).
- Take long walks in the water or swim while avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun.
THERAPIES
For a correct clinical-therapeutic classification it is important to contact a specialist doctor who will be able to perform a careful clinical examination and request all the necessary laboratory tests (glycemic and lipid structure, liver, renal and thyroid function…) and instrumental (EchoColorDoppler) to be able to implement the most appropriate therapy:
- Pharmacological therapy (Phlebotonics, Coumarins, Drugs that act on the cellular matrix, Fibrinolytics …).
- Elastocompression.
- Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
- Carboxytherapy (for the therapeutic action on the microcirculation and the anti-edema effect).
- Diet therapy (diet rich in fruit and vegetables, low in sodium, with protein-amino acid supplementation and plenty of water).
***For further information, I recommend reading the article on cellulitis.