Connective tissue and varicose veins
The term varicose veins (medical term: varicosis) describes a medical phenomenon that can be caused by, among other things, a congenital weakness of the connective tissue. The veins in our legs have the task of pumping the blood back to the heart. Since this must happen against gravity, there are mechanisms that facilitate this process.
With each muscle contraction, a little bit of blood can be transported further up the leg. To prevent the blood from flowing back towards the feet immediately after the muscle has slackened, there are venous valves that close the vein at the bottom. If the connective tissue is weak, the walls of the veins lose their elasticity, which means that the venous valves no longer close properly and yet blood still flows back.
As a result, there is more pressure on the next valve further down, which then yields more easily. This higher pressure in the superficial veins results in the so-called varicose veins, which can be seen from the outside as a tortuous vein. However, varicose veins are by no means only an aesthetic problem, but can also have some health consequences. In order to prevent the development of varicose veins due to weak connective tissue, sufficient movement and strengthening of the muscle tissue is crucial. Through movement and muscle building, the veins can be strengthened in their task of transporting blood back to the body and thus the development of varicose veins can be effectively prevented.
Strengthening connective tissue during pregnancy
It is not rare for so-called stretch marks to appear during pregnancy. These are small tears in the connective tissue that usually appear on the abdomen. Due to the rapid and large increase in the circumference of the abdomen during pregnancy, these stretch marks can hardly be avoided.
Furthermore, the female hormones that are released during pregnancy promote a loosening of the connective tissue to prepare the body for the birth. In order to prevent stretch marks, one should not completely abstain from sports during pregnancy and remain physically active. There are special courses for pregnant women which also prepare the body optimally for the birth.
Of course, it is also important during pregnancy to drink enough and to ensure a healthy diet. This also supports the connective tissue. It is also important to supply the skin with sufficient moisture, as dry skin tends to crack more easily.
Oily creams or oils are suitable for this. If stretch marks have already developed, they can also be treated with special oils or creams. However, it is very unlikely that the stretch marks will disappear completely. Do you want to read more about the treatment of stretch marks? – Then visit our article: Preventing stretch marks
