There are many people today that believe that running causes varicose veins. While overdoing anything can be harmful to your body, running and other forms of cardiovascular exercise are great for keeping your veins healthy and may actually prevent varicose veins from developing. Here, our Long Island vein specialist talks about the relationship between varicose veins and running.
What do Long Island residents need to know about varicose veins and running?
According to vein care specialists in Long Island, running and other modes of exercise are beneficial to the venous system in a number of ways. One way is that running increases your oxygen intake while making your heart beat faster. This action pushes oxygen through your veins to feed the organs and tissues that need it to thrive. This nourishes the venous tissues, strengthens muscles, and supports overall health.
Another way running helps is through the vein pumping action. When you run (or even walk), your calf muscles contract and squeeze your veins. When your vein walls dilate in this way, blood is forced out of the lower body and up to the heart. This action keeps circulation healthy by keeping blood moving and preventing the pooling of blood, which occurs during venous insufficiency, one of the leading causes of varicose veins.
How can you protect yourself from getting varicose veins?
Our Long Island varicose vein doctor, Dr. Andrew Rochman, recommends that runners wear supportive, well-fitting shoes to help reduce impact while running on hard surfaces. It may also be helpful for frequent runners and anyone at a higher risk for developing varicose veins to wear compression hose while running to boost circulatory effects and support your vein health.
The final tip we can offer to prevent varicose veins as a runner is to come see us for a vein screening. Schedule yours at 516-821-0242 or go online to request an appointment.