Heat is the worst enemy of venous circulation. Heavy legs, swollen feet… To relieve these painful symptoms, here is the position to adopt in the evening, upon returning home.
Every evening during a heatwave, the symptoms of venous insufficiency intensify: the legs pull, the ankles swell, the feet seem to weigh twice as much. It’s not an impression. Heat naturally dilates the veins to help the body release temperature, but this vasodilation also slows venous return, that is to say the ability of blood to rise efficiently from the legs to the heart. The blood stagnates in the lower limbs, the veins struggle to bring it up, and the feeling of heaviness sets in.
This chronic pathology affects nearly 18 million French people, the vast majority of them women. During periods of extreme heat like the one France is experiencing this week, circulatory symptoms worsen as do the risks of hypertension and sleep disorders. The good news is that gravity can work the other way. Alice Respira, Pilates teacher, offers an anti-heavy leg routine. Its principle is simple and physiological: by raising the legs above the level of the heart, we mechanically help the blood to descend and the heaviness is lightened.
“Lie down next to a wall, raise your legs and do this little 2-minute routine. A simple way to regain a feeling of lightness after a hot day, without sweating more” explains the coach in an Instagram video. All you need to do is lie down on the ground, buttocks close to a wall, and raise your legs vertically, feet placed flat against the wall. The position itself is already enough to restart venous return through the effect of gravity.
To go further, the coach suggests doing five movements in a series: the frog (knees bent, soles of the feet against each other, you gently spread your knees outwards), pointe/flex (legs stretched against the wall, you point your feet downwards then bring your toes towards you alternately), circles (legs stretched, you draw circles with your feet in one direction then in the other), aerial walking (you pedal gently in space, as if we were walking backwards against the wall) and the shake (we let the legs shake freely for a few seconds to release all the accumulated tension).
The advantage of this routine is also its practicality: no need to concentrate, you can read, scroll on your phone or simply breathe – which makes it an easy time to maintain even when you don’t feel like anything at the end of the day. Please note: if the swelling persists, is accompanied by pain, redness or one leg is significantly more swollen than the other, it is advisable to consult a doctor to rule out chronic venous insufficiency or phlebitis.
