WHY ARE MY LEGS SO TIRED?
It’s the holidays and most likely we will all suffer from tired aching legs at one time or another. But what causes aching legs is different for different people. It can be anything from standing or sitting when working, to a long walk in the city maybe even through the mall. So what are the causes of aching legs and what can you do about it?
What are tired aching legs?
Tired and aching legs can best be described as a light but uncomfortable sensation that is a sort of pain, but not a sharp pain. You know your legs ache, but you cannot identify where the pain is coming from exactly. Symptoms of aching legs include:
- A sensation of pain or burning in the muscles and deep within your legs. However the exact location of this pain may be difficult to explain.
- Sometimes your tired aching legs feel worse if you are moving around. Trying to walk further causes more aching. This type of ache occurs when the muscles do not get enough oxygen and are relieved by resting.
- If you find your legs ache when you have been standing for long periods at work it can be a sign of varicose veins. While the pain can get more intense if you continue standing, resting your legs with your ankle higher than your hip can bring relief.
What causes tired and aching legs?
The causes of aching legs are many. Some common causes of tired aching legs include:
- Poor circulation: if you have diabetes, or if you smoke, you can have problems with Poor Circulation in your legs. A deep aching and burning sensation can be a result of furring up of the arteries that supply your leg muscles with blood.
- Varicose veins: when the tiny valves in the veins of your legs collapse, blood can build up and cause a blockage. This makes the veins swell and expand. Tired aching legs is a common symptom of Varicose Veins.
- Deep Vein Thrombosis: if one of the veins deep within your leg becomes blocked by a clot, this causes the leg to swell and leads to intense aching, which is difficult to relief. Deep Vein Thrombosis usually occurs in one leg, rather than both at once.
Top tips on how to prevent tired and aching legs:
There are many lifestyle changes and choices you can make to help prevent tired and aching legs. Some of the changes that might work for you include:
- Taking more exercise, particularly walking and swimming.
- Stop smoking.
- Seeing your family care doctor for advice on your diet if you are overweight or obese. Extra weight puts pressure on the circulation in your legs.
- Wearing compression hosiery: The good news is that it has come a long way in recent years, there is many different styles and colors to choose from
Why do people suffer from tired, heavy, achy legs?
The veins in the lower legs stop working like they were designed to. So rather than helping to push blood upwards against gravity, with prolonged periods of standing or sitting, they become sluggish or inadequate. This results in blood flowing back into the veins and pooling into the tissue of the lower legs, resulting in increased fluid, causing swollen, tired, heavy, achy legs.
Anything you can do to increase activity helps with improving blood flow back to the heart. Brisk walking, yoga and dancing are all great activities for leg health. And let’s face it getting up or out and about is great for the mind too.
Is there anything you should avoid?
Sitting and standing for long periods are major culprits. If you sit a lot during the day, try to get up at a minimum at least once an hour and walk around. If you have a job where you stand a lot, support or compression stocking can help. High heels and unsupportive shoes can also aggravate the problem. Here at the Alpha Vein Clinic Las Vegas we are dedicated to getting those tired achy legs to feel and look so much better! Call us today at (702) 430-7661. We have a solution to your achy leg and vein problems don’t wait! Make your appointment today!
Alpha Vein Clinic
3150 N. Tenaya Way Ste. 400
Las Vegas, NV, 89128
(702) 430 7661
Dr. Sassan Kaveh
You Can Now Call Us 24/7