Physiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of varicose veins. Especially the contents learned during exercise training remain in everyday life after the end of the therapy in order to serve as preventive measures. Through various other therapeutic approaches, such as lymphatic drainage, physiotherapy has the potential both to actively combat existing varicose veins and to prevent the development of new varicose veins in the long term. The therapists respond individually to the patient and create a specific training plan.
Causes
The development of varicose veins can have various causes. Over time, the vascular walls of the veins may become less strong and elastic, which can lead to a backlog of blood. The blood then virtually sinks into the veins and the result is varicose veins, which can form either superficially or deeply in the tissue.
Other causes that can lead to the development of varicose veins include an unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, obesity), hereditary factors, hormones (especially estrogens) that weaken the connective tissue and lack of exercise. Varicose veins can also occur as a result of a blood clot in the deep veins of the legs. Here, posture at work also plays a major role.
Therapy/treatment
In the treatment of varicose veins, patients have many possibilities to influence the therapy significantly themselves. Varicose veins are often the result of unfavorable lifestyle habits (e.g. lack of exercise, wrong diet), so that a change in these often leads to an improvement in symptoms. The scope of treatment therefore includes among other things: more exercise: Regular exercise in the form of long walks, walking, hiking, jogging or cycling strengthens the leg muscles and thus improves blood circulation.
The integration of targeted vein-supporting exercises into everyday life is also a sensible measure for the therapy of varicose veins. Alternating showers: Alternate between hot and cold in the shower. These so-called alternating showers stimulate the vessels to expand and contract alternately, which also improves blood circulation.
Raise your legs for 30 minutes in the evening: Especially if you already have varicose veins, this is a sensible solution to facilitate the return of blood to the heart. Pay attention to a balanced diet rich in fiber and reduce overweight as much as possible. Put on compression stockings in the morning.
These are special stockings that fit very tightly and may be adjusted individually. They provide external pressure on the legs, which compresses the muscles and compresses the veins. Physiotherapy can achieve good results in the treatment of varicose veins through various other therapeutic approaches.
These include: Every physiotherapeutic treatment of varicose veins also includes targeted movement training and exercises to strengthen the lower leg muscles. Surgical removal of varicose veins by means of stripping or phlebectomy is also a common treatment method.
- More movement: Regular exercise in the form of long walks, walking, hiking, jogging or cycling strengthens the leg muscles and thus ensures better blood circulation.
The integration of targeted vein-supporting exercises into everyday life is also a sensible measure for the therapy of varicose veins.
- Alternating showers: Change between hot and cold in the shower. These so-called alternating showers stimulate the vessels to expand and contract alternately, which also improves the blood circulation.
- Raise your legs for 30 minutes in the evening: Especially if you already have varicose veins, this is a sensible solution to facilitate the return of blood to the heart.
- Pay attention to a balanced and fiber-rich diet and reduce overweight as much as possible.
- Put on compression stockings in the morning. These are special stockings that fit very tightly and may be adjusted individually. They provide external pressure on the legs, which compresses the muscles and compresses the veins.
- Lymphatic drainage, which leads to a better removal of excess tissue fluid.
- Stepping in cold water, whereby certain movements activate the muscle pump of the calves and the cold improves the wall tension of the veins.
- Carbonic acid baths, where the carbonic acid absorbed through the skin causes vasodilation and simultaneous vein compression.
- Compression treatments, whereby elastic bandages are applied with a certain pressure.
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