There are situations where swelling of the legs is a normal reaction of the body to stress: flights, high weight, pregnancy, heavy physical activity. Heaviness and swelling of the legs at the end of the working day is a common problem among office workers who do not have the necessary physical activity.

According to statistics, more than half of employees experience leg problems that worsen at the end of the day. Women have a much higher predisposition to edema than men due to hormonal levels and a penchant for uncomfortable but beautiful shoes. Many people perceive swelling as a normal phenomenon that goes away overnight, making the mistake of perceiving the fact. At the first signs, it is necessary to identify the causes of leg swelling and eliminate them.

Causes of leg swelling

Flat feet. The disease affects people who spend the whole day on their feet and people who lack stress on the muscles and joints of their legs. Weakened muscles stop working normally, and the foot gradually becomes flat. Weakened muscles interfere with the normal drainage of fluid from tissues; Incorrectly chosen shoes. Shoes that are too tight or too loose can lead to swollen feet at the end of the day. A similar process is facilitated by wearing high-heeled shoes during sedentary work. The stiletto heel in combination with heavy legs becomes a source of serious injury. Uncomfortable shoes become a catalyst for the development of flat feet. After choosing the right and comfortable shoes, in most cases the swelling disappears; Varicose veins, or thrombophlebitis. If the disease develops, swelling will be the first symptom that cannot be ignored. It is easy to detect a predisposition to varicose veins: veins and vascular networks visible to the naked eye warn of the imminent appearance of swelling, heaviness and pain. In some cases, edema can signal developing arthrosis. Only a professional can prescribe treatment. folk remedies and physical education will help in the main treatment; Failure of the heart or kidneys.

If the causes of edema lie at work internal organs, this is determined by careful inspection:

If the kidneys are not functioning properly, edema will affect the back of the legs, individual traces of swelling are noticeable on the eyelids; In case of intestinal diseases, edema is accompanied by stool disorders; If the heart is not functioning properly, the edema becomes bilateral, pronounced in the evening and affecting the feet and upper tissues; hormonal imbalance the legs swell mainly in the lower part of the lower leg.

Difficulties with bottom shins

The source of the swelling will help you decide what to do next, what methods to improve your health.

Exercises to strengthen leg muscles

If the cause of heavy legs is weak muscles, the muscles are strengthened by performing simple exercises:

In a horizontal position, make movements with your legs - “scissors”; Stand on the shoulder blades - “birch”; “Bicycle”; Strengthen the abs; Strengthen the chest muscles with exercises with dumbbells.

You will need to strengthen your leg muscles and other muscles involved in lymph drainage. With regular exercise, the condition of your legs will begin to improve, and swelling will appear less frequently. Any regular exercise has a positive effect.

Hygiene procedures for swelling of the legs

Quickly improve the condition of your legs after a hard day and sedentary work, it is possible to reduce swelling by taking a bath with sea ​​salt and any essential oil. If missing varicose veins veins, it is possible to arrange contrast baths: 4 min. hot water and 10 seconds in cold.

After the bath, you need to dry your feet well with vigorous massage movements from the foot to the knee. Then massage your legs with pinching movements for 5 minutes, ending the massage with soothing stroking movements.

Medicines for swelling of the legs

It will speed up the outflow of fluid medicinal plants: decoctions of birch buds, linden flowers and horsetail. Two tbsp. l. pour boiling water over the herbs, take 1 tbsp. after food. Herbs have a pronounced diuretic effect and should not be used if the kidneys are not functioning properly.

Alcohol infusions of herbs are used to wipe the feet. Before starting the course, a doctor's consultation is required. In pharmacies you can find ready-made herbal teas to strengthen blood vessels in the legs in convenient filter bags for brewing.

Garlic infusion strengthens the walls of blood vessels well and prevents swelling (pour boiling water over the head of garlic and leave for a day). Wipe your feet with the product and leave until completely absorbed.

The use of removable shoes at any time of the year is shown. It is important to have one pair with soft soles without heels. The types of shoes must fit properly. Excessively narrow shoes impede blood circulation, wide shoes force you to tighten your toes, causing swelling; If swelling appears, until the cause is eliminated, it is possible to wear compression stockings that improve blood circulation, correctly distribute the load on the legs, helping the heart function;

Compression jersey

Limit the consumption of salt and liquid (especially coffee) after 6 pm; at work, try to drink unsweetened drinks and herbal teas (lingonberry, chamomile). Don't limit yourself to pure drinking water, moisture helps the body get rid of excess salts. An increased amount of salt is often found in office lunches; swelling increases by the end of the day. It is better to prefer light salads dressed with oil and porridge; You need to diversify your diet, add vegetables and fruits, herbs, natural juices; Avoid excess weight gain, which worsens the situation; It is necessary to analyze the medications you are taking that can cause side effects related to fluid retention in the body; Change the position of your legs more often, and get up for a short walk at every opportunity. It is especially dangerous to sit for a long time with your legs crossed. This position is a real trigger for varicose veins and thrombophlebitis; With mild swelling, pharmaceutical and cosmetic ointments and leg gels help. Sometimes they provide invaluable assistance in the treatment of edema, working with symptoms and causes. The active ingredient in many ointments is heparin. Prevents blood clotting, used during heart surgery;

Ointment for sore feet

In the evening, you can place a pillow under your feet to help the swelling resolve. It is permissible to leave the pillow overnight. At work, it is useful to place a low stand under your feet (10 cm is enough); It is better to make up for the lack of activity after a hard day by walking or visiting the pool.

If it is not possible to stand up while working, you need to do light exercises without leaving your workplace, remaining in a sitting position:

bend and straighten your feet at the ankle without lowering your legs to the floor - 20-30 times; walking in place without lifting your toes off the floor - 3-4 minutes; strain and relax your thigh muscles, keeping your legs suspended - 15-20 times; if work allows you to take off your shoes, it is useful to practice picking up a pencil from the floor with your toes; spreading and squeezing your toes; rubbing your shins with your hands; rotating your feet clockwise and back.

When sitting on a chair for a long time, it is useful to simply bend and straighten your legs more often. Do not attempt to do more exercise than this amount. It is effective to repeat the lesson every 30-60 minutes.

Modern lifestyle does not allow people to get enough physical activity. Sedentary work, public transport, long traffic jams, relaxation at the computer or TV lead to disruption of the body's functioning. Lightness in the legs is not only a guarantee of their beauty, but a sign of internal health. The appearance of swelling is discomfort and loss of aesthetics, an important signal about difficulties in the body.

Ignoring swelling, heaviness, and a feeling of rumbling in the legs, the disorder will worsen to the point of convulsions and thrombophlebitis. With the right and quick treatment really avoid serious diseases, restore beauty and grace to your legs.

The legs swell when sitting and the load on the venous wall increases. This is observed both with damage to blood vessels only and with systemic pathology of the heart and kidneys. Complications may develop in the form of venous thrombosis or embolism of the great vessels. Preventive treatment is necessary for prolonged periods of sitting.

If your legs swell when sitting, this is the first sign of vascular disease. lower limbs. A visual change in the usual shape of a limb, a feeling of fullness and burning, depressed stripes from socks or knee socks - all this suggests some kind of serious problems in the body. In order to take the necessary measures, you must first understand the mechanism of swelling of the legs during prolonged sitting.

The wall of venous vessels, both small and large, does not have a muscle layer. That is why it cannot contract on its own (like arterial vessels), but only undergoes distant contractions as a result of a contractile wave from the heart. Special valves prevent the reverse movement of blood through the venous vessels. These anatomical and functional abilities contribute to the formation of congestion in the venous bed. This manifests itself not only in swelling of the legs, but also in much more serious disorders.

Reasons for development

Slowing blood flow leads to increased thrombus formation. A blood clot can become fixed on the wall of the vein and not cause any discomfort. However, it is possible for the blood clot to increase and the lumen to gradually decrease until the venous vessel is completely blocked. The consequence of this is thrombosis of the deep (less often superficial) veins of the extremities or thrombophlebitis (the development of inflammatory changes in a blocked vessel).

It is also possible for a blood clot to detach from the vessel wall and circulate through the bloodstream throughout the human body. In this case, a blood clot can clog any vessel of any organ. As a result, heart attack, stroke, thromboembolism of mesenteric vessels, pulmonary embolism and other similar diseases develop.

In rare cases, such changes are observed in a completely healthy organism. As a rule, the following conditions and predisposing factors contribute to insufficiency of the venous wall and increased thrombus formation:

systemic metabolic disorders - obesity, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus; hereditary predisposition; heart valve diseases with symptoms of heart failure; female gender.

The above factors trigger pathological mechanisms that lead to swelling of the legs and the formation of blood clots when additional stress occurs. This may occur in the following situations:

long (without breaks) work for desk or the computer of bank and other office employees; long driving in a car (non-stop); long air flight, especially if the distance between the seats is small (the so-called “economy class syndrome”).

Features of manifestations

A person does not always need to worry if his legs swell. In the case when there are no visible changes in the skin and general condition, it is enough to properly organize the work and rest regime and the lower extremities will stop swelling.

If your legs swell, and visual changes are observed (darkening of the skin, the appearance of bruises or vascular patterns), a feeling of heaviness in the legs and a burning sensation that does not go away after resting in a horizontal position, then you should consult a phlebologist (or a regular surgeon). At this stage, with the help of compression garments and certain medications, it is possible to achieve long-term compensation for venous insufficiency and stop its progression.

If acute pain in the leg occurs, especially against the background of swelling of the limb, immediate medical consultation is required to exclude (or confirm) acute thrombosis.

Prevention and treatment

For the first time, a person noticed that his legs swell when sitting for a long time; he needs to change some details of his lifestyle and, perhaps, the problem will disappear spontaneously. You need to do the following:

wear only comfortable and proportionate shoes with low (“Viennese”) heels: create good habit every hour get up from your workplace and do a little physical warm-up (rotating your feet, wiggling your fingers); do not use large number liquids and salty foods; in your free time from work, lead an active lifestyle: walk more or go to the gym.

Not always these simple rules feasible and effective. If clinical signs of venous insufficiency increase, you should visit a doctor. The following medical recommendations are possible:

course use (or if necessary when symptoms increase) ointments that improve venous blood flow (troxevasin, heparin ointment, essaven gel); blood thinners (aspirin, troxevasin, chimes); constant wearing of compression underwear or leg bandaging.

The elastic bandage is wound around the leg from the bottom up (from the tips of the toes to the thigh) with some tension (for sufficient effectiveness and to prevent slipping). In the evening, the bandage is removed, and the night's sleep passes without it. This bandaging prevents excessive expansion of veins and congestion.

Compression knitwear (tights, knee socks or socks) are more comfortable and reliable. They are put on while lying down before getting out of bed in the morning, and taken off at night. The effect is the same as bandaging: swelling and stagnation of blood in the venous vessels are reduced, and increased thrombus formation is stopped to a certain extent. The type of compression garments and the degree of compression should be agreed with your doctor.

There is surgical treatment for chronic venous insufficiency: sclerotherapy and vein removal. Dilated veins are either removed or blocked with a special substance (sclerotherapy), and blood flow in them stops. Blood circulation in the leg is ensured by other, undamaged vessels.

Edema syndrome (swelling of the legs) is an accumulation of fluid in some tissues and the intercellular space of the lower extremities, in which they increase in volume against the background of changes in elasticity and turgor.

Such pathological changes occur most often in the legs due to the heavy load on them during the day. The possibility and degree of edema growth depend on the balance of fluid in the body between the vessels and the intercellular space.

Why the legs swell, the causes of swelling of the lower extremities and signs of what diseases this condition may be - we will consider in the article.

Causes of swelling of the legs in acute manifestations of pathology

• local (local) edema is usually associated with impaired fluid circulation in a certain area;
• general edema is a manifestation of fluid imbalance in the patient’s body.

Why do my legs swell? This question worries me absolutely healthy people when in hot climates or rich salty foods, they experience swelling of the legs

Pay attention! To find out the origin of edema, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination and determine the causes of the painful condition.

Slight swelling of the legs, most often, is a temporary phenomenon and appears for several reasons:

• swelling in the evening can be a consequence of fatigue, transferred in one day high load on your legs, but it is better to consult a therapist to prevent varicose veins, which affect the veins of the legs;
• drinking plenty of fluids in the evening or before bed is often the driving factor behind swollen feet;
• the causes of swelling of the lower extremities may be hidden in prolonged sitting in an uncomfortable position (crossed legs, on a low or too high chair);
• leg injuries can often cause a local form of swelling along with pain in the affected area (bruises, sprains, fractures);
• allergic diseases, as a rule, they are manifested not only by swelling, but also by a rash, sneezing, coughing and shortness of breath, increased lacrimation and dizziness - they will go away on their own after taking anti-allergen drugs and stopping contact with the allergen that caused it;

• slight swelling of the legs in the last trimester of pregnancy is a reason to consult with a women's doctor to rule out gestosis(late toxicosis during pregnancy);
• side effect of taking medications(hormonal, antihypertensive, etc.);
• swelling after illness caused by acute infection, may be an indicator of kidney complications.

Causes of swelling of the legs with chronic manifestations of pathology

With prolonged swelling of the lower extremities, it is necessary to find out why the legs are swollen, and you should undergo a medical examination to determine the causes of this symptom. Such swelling of the legs most often indicates a serious chronic illness.

There is a classification of edema according to the systemic diseases that accompany it:

1. Heartfelt- appear in heart disease, also manifest as symptoms of cardiac disorders (palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain), which develop gradually.

Location: symmetrical swelling of the ankles, legs (if the patient walks), in the lumbar region (for bedridden patients).

2. Renal edema appears gradually or quickly, are localized on the face, legs, lower back, etc., sometimes accompanied by increased pressure, they are symptoms of glomerulonephritis and nephropathy.

An ultrasound examination reveals an increased size of the kidneys, as well as other signs of the disease: lower back pain, blood in the urine, increased blood pressure, anemia.

3. Edema in liver diseases inherent in patients with severe pathologies, manifested by the following symptoms: yellowness of the skin, swelling in the abdominal area, various digestive disorders (diarrhea, constipation, flatulence), a state of general weakness, weight loss, high temperature, deterioration of memory and time orientation (encephalopathy), hepatic coma.

4. Venous diseases of the legs(thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, etc.) - the cause is often a blockage of a vein with a blood clot, when one leg swells (which turns blue and hurts), or in a chronic form, when swelling in the lower third of the leg disappears in the morning and increases in the afternoon due to vertical body position;

5. Inflammatory joint diseases(arthrosis, etc.) - manifested by local swelling over the affected joint, and this area is characterized by increased temperature and pain when moving.

6. Lymphostasis- impaired circulation of lymph in the body, which causes symmetrical swelling of the legs from bottom to top; with secondary lymphodema, deformation of the leg and the development of elephantiasis are possible.

The pathological causes of edema are varied, so you should not make a diagnosis yourself
7. Endocrine edema possible with hypothyroidism, accompanied by other symptoms of thyroid disease: bradycardia, decreased metabolism, depression, deep voice, etc.

Diseases as a cause of swelling of the lower extremities

To diagnose the cause of edematous syndrome, a comprehensive examination is carried out, including:

• visual examination and questioning of the patient by a doctor;
• blood tests (general and biochemical), urine tests;
• Ultrasound examination of organs;
• tests for hormones and blood sugar;
• electrocardiogram.

Table. Diseases whose symptoms are swelling of the legs

Types of diseases	Names of diseases	Symptoms and consequences
Heartfelt	Arterial hypertension	High blood pressure
	Lung diseases	Accompanied high pressure in their vessels
	Heart defects	They can be congenital or appear after diseases such as rheumatism, etc.
	Angina pectoris	Lack of blood flowing to the heart, which impairs its function
	Myocarditis	Inflammation in the heart muscle
	Cardiomyopathy	Heart disease due to metabolic disorders and changes
	Arrhythmias	Abnormal contraction of the heart muscle due to rhythm disturbances, which reduces blood flow
Venous diseases	Varicose veins of the legs	Increased varicose pressure in the legs and veins
	Thrombophlebitis	Damage to the deep veins of the legs
Lung diseases	Chronic obstructive pulmonary lesions	Bronchitis in smokers, etc.
	Defects in the development of the pulmonary respiratory system	Congenital diseases
	Infectious diseases	Sarcoidosis
	Bronchial asthma in severe form
	Frequent inflammatory diseases in the lungs	Pneumonia
Kidney diseases	Pyelonephritis	Inflammatory disease of the renal pelvis
	Glomerulonephritis	Inflammation of kidney tissue
	Tumors	Benign and malignant
	Kidney injuries	They have symptoms such as swelling of the legs, which is why they require timely assistance from a doctor
Liver diseases	Chronic hepatitis, tumors and cirrhosis of the liver	Severe types of pathologies that cause swelling of the lower extremities
Allergic edema	Quincke	Swelling of the face and other parts of the body, severe reaction after contact with the allergen
Swelling due to joint diseases	Rheumatoid arthritis	The limbs swell in the areas of large joints, movements are difficult and painful, often occurring 2-3 weeks after acute tonsillitis
	Reactive arthritis	Damage to the knee joints and genitourinary system, fever, accompanied by conjunctivitis, lacrimation, discharge from the genitals
	Rheumatoid arthritis	It is of an autoimmune nature, affecting small joints in the foot area of ​​the lower extremities and hands
	Infectious arthritis	Caused by the penetration of infection into the joint cavity after injury through the blood and lymphatic vessels
	Gouty arthritis	Expressed in swelling of the joints of the limbs and severe excruciating pain, most often in the area thumb legs, the pain goes away after a few days
Infectious diseases (purulent-inflammatory)	Erysipelas	Defeat skin streptococci, red spots with swelling appear, accompanied by general malaise
	Lymphadenitis	Inflammatory process in the lymph node under the skin
	Boils (boils)	An inflamed abscess with surrounding swelling of the skin and tissue underneath it
	Osteomyelitis	A purulent inflammatory process in the bone, accompanied by swelling, malaise and pain with impaired movement

Medicines that cause leg swelling

Some medications causeswelling of the lower extremities. Why is this happening? Chemicals contribute to the retention of fluid in the human body, its excess forms into edema.

The most common causes of swelling in the legs are with regular use of the following medications:

• Groups of glucocorticosteroids, which are prescribed by a doctor for allergic diseases, bronchial asthma, inflammation of the joints and the treatment of malignant tumors (Prednisolone, Dexamethasone, etc.).

• Contraceptives, containing sex hormones that women take; similarly, in men, medications containing testosterone are prescribed for the treatment of diseases of the reproductive system and obesity; all of these drugs can also cause edema syndrome.
• Drugs included in the complex of treatment and normalization high blood pressure (ACE inhibitors).

Important to know! If you adhere to the correct dosage of drugs and the doctor’s recommendations, then swelling will not appear and will not bother you during the period of therapy.

Causes of lymphatic edema of the lower extremities

Why the legs swell, the causes of swelling of the lower extremities in patients suffering from impaired lymphatic drainage in the body, we will consider below. The consequence of this is the accumulation of lymph in the tissues, which provokes swelling.

Lymphatic edema can be congenital or acquired and is called lymphostasis or elephantiasis.

There are several types of lymphedema, which depend on various reasons for their occurrence:

• hydremic, which are caused by pathologies in the kidneys;
• Cachetic - appear due to exhaustion of the body and heart disease;
• congestive, caused by vascular impermeability, increased capillary pressure and decreased albumin levels in the circulatory system;
• mechanical - consequences of injuries, as well as during pregnancy or tumor growth;
• neuropathic, caused by diabetes or chronic alcoholism.

There are 2 types of lymphostasis:

• primary- congenital, which manifests itself after the birth of a child or during puberty in adolescence;
• secondary- the reasons for its appearance can be many factors: excessive stress on the legs, consumption of large amounts of fluid, changes in metabolism, varicose veins, etc.

The initial 1st stage of lymphostasis is easy: Periodic swelling of the legs is possible in the evening, which disappears in the morning after rest. At stage 1, with timely treatment and medical supervision, the disease can be overcome.

The second stage is already noted as a disease of moderate severity, and is characterized by swelling of the lower extremities, which does not go away on its own. At the same time, the process of proliferation of connective tissue begins, painful sensations on the skin, convulsions are possible, as well as rapid fatigue.


The third degree means the development of elephantiasis, an irreversible process in which fibrocystic changes in damaged tissue occur.

Be careful! Stage 3 lymphostasis causes not only swelling of the lower extremities, but also their deformation.

Severe swelling of the legs and irreversible disorders in the lymphatic system of the patient’s body can lead to sepsis or cancer, which is why it is so important to start treatment at stages 1-2 of the disease.

Causes of swelling of the legs in the evening

Swelling of the legs occurs in many people who, after a hard and stressful day of work, which they spend a lot of time in standing position, discover in the evening such an unpleasant painful manifestation that causes certain inconvenience.

To avoid such negative feelings, you need to find their cause.

The most common causes of swelling lie in long-term and heavy stress on the lower extremities, drinking large amounts of water (especially in the evening), the patient being overweight, sitting in an uncomfortable position during the day or wearing high-heeled shoes that compress the feet, with flat feet.


After a night's rest, this swelling decreases, but may reappear in the evening. To exclude various unpleasant diseases (varicose veins, kidney disease, etc.), it is better to consult a specialist for advice.

The main causes of swelling of the legs in women

In addition to the above reasons for leg swelling, In women, such symptoms are often associated with the hormonal cycle:

• during the premenstrual period when progestin levels decrease;
• in women after menopause in the form of idiopathic edema, which is manifested by stagnation of fluid in the limbs and on the face, and they are also accompanied by depression and possible weight gain;
• in pregnant women in the last trimester;
• in the postpartum period, when pregnancy contributed to the appearance of acute venous insufficiency and other venous diseases.

The main causes of swelling of the legs in men

In men, the most common causes of leg swelling may be:

• chronic venous insufficiency (sometimes inherited and is a family disease);
• edema syndrome after severe physical work, which was combined with heavy sweating;
• in the hot season with a lack of water, tight shoes, and prolonged exercise.

Rare causes leading to edema of the lower extremities

Causes of edema, which are quite rare, include metabolic disorders that are associated with acute or chronic loss of protein in the patient’s body:

• enteropathy(impaired protein absorption) - this phenomenon is observed in the chronic stage of enteritis, Hirschsprung and Crohn's diseases, and during fasting long time, is accompanied by atrophy of the gastrointestinal mucosa, diarrhea and causes dysproteinemic edema;
• myxedema due to hypothyroidism(thyroid disease) - a strong drop in the amount of hormones, causing a decrease in metabolic protein processes, manifested by dense swelling, accompanied by dry skin, lethargy, brittle nails and other symptoms;
• restrictive pericarditis or cardiomyopathy- development of excess connective tissue in the myocardium, obstructing blood flow and causing heart failure, which is accompanied by swelling of the foot and above.

Swelling of the legs can be a manifestation of very severe chronic diseases of many important organs human body. Therefore, it is better to entrust accurate answers to questions about why legs swell, the causes of swelling of the lower extremities and symptoms of what diseases they are, to a professional doctor.

Why do my legs swell? Causes of swelling of the lower extremities:

Swelling in the legs - 8 causes:

Sitting without getting up, actually tucking your legs, as happens in airplane cabins and other vehicles, is unnatural for humans. And if his circulatory and lymphatic systems do not work perfectly, then his legs begin to swell. According to scientists, even in a person with a healthy cardiovascular system, after 30 minutes of standing or sitting still, the volume of blood in the veins of each leg increases by 300-500 ml! It is not surprising that the walls of the veins are stretched, and gradually this overstretching becomes irreversible. So, leg pain and swelling are the first signs of varicose veins.

By the way

Swelling of the legs as a manifestation of venous insufficiency is characteristic of both women and men, Canadian scientists have found. In men, the main cause of edema was overweight(present in 69% of examined people with edema) and prolonged standing or sitting (in 67%). In women - excess weight (77%), smoking (61%), prolonged standing or sitting (60%), use of hormonal contraceptives (43%), wearing too much narrow shoes(15%) and too high heels(14%). Interestingly, in men there was no clear connection between smoking and edema. Doctors note with regret that the prevention of edema is mainly carried out by those for whom it already greatly poisons their lives. Thus, the basic precaution - sleeping with legs elevated - is followed by 32% of people in the 3rd stage of venous insufficiency and only 14% of patients in the 1st stage.

The salvation would be to get up and walk around: after all, when we walk, run, spin a bicycle, and so on, the so-called muscle pump turns on. Contracting muscles literally prop up the veins and squeeze blood out of them upward, at the same time massaging the vessels and increasing their tone. However, what a walk when traveling!

This is where special exercises come to the rescue. Without drawing too much attention to yourself, you will force your calves and feet to work as if walking. If you are wearing heels or shoes with rigid soles, take them off. To get the effect, do each for 1 minute and repeat all exercises every half hour of flight.

March-march

Pull your toes toward you so that only your heels are on the floor. Feel the tension in your calves. Move your heels along the floor, as if walking: back and forth, left and right, diverging and converging - in general, any imitation of steps, as far as space on the floor allows. Then place your feet on your toes, lift your heels as high as possible and do the same steps on your toes.

Humpty Dumpty

Sit back in your chair, you can rest your hands on the seat. Lift your feet off the floor, and lift your knees and part of your hips slightly off the seat. Gently bend and straighten your knees: when the right shin rises, the left shin lowers and vice versa. In fact, you should dangle your legs, keeping them suspended.

Minx

Pull your knee toward you, grasping it with one or both hands. Don't try to raise it as high as possible: consider the width of the seat and the comfort of your neighbors. The main thing is to lift your hip off the seat. Calmly pulling your leg up, at the same time pull your toes towards you, sticking your heel down. You can lightly massage the calf with your hand from bottom to top. Then slowly lower your leg as low as possible, while extending your toes and making sure to spread your toes. Do the same with the second leg!

Gyre

Interlace your feet at the ankles, with only one foot on the floor (the one below). Lift your sock off the floor. Without lifting your heel, rotate your feet clockwise and counterclockwise. Then switch legs and rotate your feet while keeping the heel of your other foot on the floor.

Applause

Connect your knees and feet. Lift your socks off the floor, with only your heels on the support. Spread your knees and toes in the air without spreading your heels, and sharply connect them, as if clapping.

Panicle

Extend your legs forward and lift your heels. Using smooth movements, pull your toes under you, bending them and as if sweeping the floor towards you. The whole foot and ankle works.

We ran away and met

Place your feet side by side. One of them will “step” to the right, the other - to the left. The "steps" look like this. Lift your socks off the floor, only your heels are standing. Point your toes out as far as possible and place your feet on top of them. To do this, the heels need to be lifted off the floor. Now, without raising your toes, spread your heels as wide as possible and stand on them, lifting your toes off. When you “walk” in this way to the edge, use exactly the same “steps” from heels to toes to return your feet inward.

Pump

Place your feet on your toes. In this position, first tighten your calf muscles. Then try, without relaxing your calves, to tighten your thighs and buttocks. Keep no more than 5-10 accounts. Relax in reverse order: buttocks first, then thighs, and calves last.

The first reason why legs become larger is swelling, which occurs when water is retained in the body. Moreover, sometimes not only the feet and legs swell, but the face and hands.

If swelling appeared after a long flight, several hours spent standing on your feet, or before, and then disappeared, then this is normal.

But if your legs swell every evening or your face looks like a pillow in the morning, then the following diseases may be to blame.

Possible causes of edema

Injury

Perhaps you just stumbled and didn’t think anything of it, and your leg is swollen because you pulled a ligament or damaged a joint. In this case, the sore spot swells both due to damage to blood vessels and because blood rushes to the source of pain. So if your legs still hurt, then you should go to the emergency room.

Pregnancy

Edema in pregnant women often appears, especially during later. If they are small, then there is nothing wrong with that, but a doctor should monitor the condition of the legs.

If edema is added headache, nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, then these are alarming signs. They signal about and, possibly, preeclampsia, a dangerous condition for pregnant women.

Lymphostasis

Sometimes water does not leave the body because the lymphatic system, which is supposed to cleanse our body, does not work. Problems appear if for some reason the lymphatic vessels and nodes stop functioning at full capacity.

This happens when serious illnesses, in the treatment of cancer, obesity.

Special procedures and compression garments are needed to help reduce swelling.

Chronic venous insufficiency

The blood that has given up oxygen returns to the heart through veins - vessels with one-way valves that are needed to allow blood to flow in one direction. If there's something wrong with the valves, such as their poor functioning as we age, blood can pool in the legs.

Heart failure

With this disease, the heart cannot cope with its work and does not pump blood with the required force. Therefore, the blood stagnates, especially in the legs.

Other symptoms: rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath when physical activity(for example, difficulty climbing stairs), constant fatigue.

Kidney diseases

The kidneys filter the blood and remove waste products from it. If the kidneys suddenly fail, then excess water is retained in the body and accumulates below.

Liver diseases

If you have hepatitis or drink alcohol frequently, the liver cells die and their place is taken by connective tissue, which cannot cope with filtration - the main function of the liver. That is, the liquid will accumulate again, swelling will appear in the legs and abdomen.

What to do with swelling

First of all, understand where they came from. To do this, you need to see a doctor and make a diagnosis in order to try to eliminate the very cause of the edema, that is, the disease.

While treatment is ongoing, help yourself here and now.

• Rest and cool down. To relax, it is better to take a position in which your legs are higher than your head. Wear compression socks and apply ice to the swelling. This will help reduce swelling.
• Walk at a walking pace. If you sit or stand a lot during the workday, moving can help relieve swelling. And regular walks are even better.
• Take a diuretic. Diuretics are medications that help remove fluid from the body. If you have the diseases that we have listed, your doctor will prescribe you a drug that will cope with swelling. In addition, some hypertension medications can cause swelling. Tell your doctor about these symptoms.
• Eat foods high in magnesium. If you add 200-400 mg of magnesium to your diet, it will help get rid of excess fluid. Talk to your doctor about supplements, but first try eating oatmeal, bananas, almonds, broccoli and beets more often.

When edema is dangerous

You need to apply for it as soon as possible medical care If your legs are swollen, you have difficulty breathing and feel chest pain. Also, do not delay your visit to the doctor if:

• you press on the swollen area with your finger, and when you release, a dimple remains on the skin;
• the skin in the swollen area looks swollen and seems ready to crack.

Swelling in the legs- a phenomenon that almost every person has encountered. It lies in the fact that at the end of the working day, for example, the usual shoes become tight, and the legs feel heavy. There are many reasons for this condition. Among them there may be a number of diseases, the symptom of which is swelling of the legs, lifestyle, working postures and positions of the legs, and other factors that are the causes of swelling of the legs.

Mostly women and older people suffer from swelling of the legs. Often complaints of swelling come from people who are overweight.

Causes of leg swelling

- wrong shoes. Wearing shoes with too high or too low heels, narrow and tight shoes leads to poor circulation and leads to the accumulation of fluid, which as a result manifests itself as swelling in the legs;

- flat feet;

- sitting with your legs crossed or sitting for a long time on a soft and uncomfortable seat also answers the question - “Why do my legs swell?” This group of factors also affects the disruption of normal blood circulation in the legs;

- heavy load on the legs. Such a load can appear due to a number of factors - excess weight, work associated with prolonged standing, work associated with carrying heavy objects, pregnancy, etc.;

- varicose veins in the legs and thrombophlebitis of the veins of the lower extremities;

- Drink plenty of fluids at night. In this case, swelling of the legs appears mainly in the morning, since excess fluid has not been removed from the body during the night;

— disorders of cardiovascular activity;

- diseases associated with intestinal dysfunction.

What to do if your feet are swollen

When swelling of the legs first appears, the question becomes not why it happened, but what to do to relieve swelling of the legs. There are several ways to solve this problem:

1. Exercises to relieve fatigue and swelling of the legs. Among them, the majority are occupied by flexion and extension movements of the toes or feet.
2. Shin massage.
3. Relaxing baths. You can add herbal infusions or soothing oils, such as eucalyptus oil, to the water.
4. Pharmacies today sell a fairly large number of ointments and creams that relieve heaviness in the legs and swelling.
5. It is necessary to optimize the amount of fluid consumed. If possible, you should try to drink as little liquid as possible after 19 hours.
6. If you have symptoms of kidney disease, liver disease, intestines and other organs leading to swelling of the legs, you need to do everything to cure these diseases.
7. In some cases, diuretics help.
8. It is necessary to reduce body weight, lose weight.

To prevent leg swelling It is necessary to do rest for the legs and massage during the day. You can purchase special stockings or tights. It is necessary to normalize the water and drinking regime. The amount of water consumed should be about 2 liters per day. You also need to reconsider your diet. It is necessary to reduce the amount of salt, coffee and alcohol consumed.