You know the feeling: it’s finally summer and you want to enjoy the nice weather, but then those annoying heavy legs appear again. Suffering from heavy legs is very annoying and is quite common in hot weather or during prolonged physical exertion. The basic cause of this phenomenon is reduced blood circulation, which causes blood to remain in the lower legs. People with a hereditary predisposition and the elderly are more likely to suffer from heavy legs. If you want to quickly counteract the heavy, tired feeling in your legs, a gel or balm is a good solution. To prevent heavy legs in the future, wearing a support or compression stocking can be effective. These stockings promote blood circulation, which means that waste products are removed more quickly and you get tired less quickly. A more sophisticated way to achieve the same effect is a blood circulation device. What are the causes of heavy legs and what tips can relieve the complaints?

Heavy legs

Blood has a crucial function in the human body . Oxygen and nutrients are transported to muscles and organs via the blood. Blood circulation is therefore crucial for the functioning of the body. It is the heart muscle that pumps blood to all parts of the body. If blood circulation becomes less efficient for some reason, unpleasant symptoms may arise, such as heavy legs. Legs that are heavy give you an uncomfortable, lethargic feeling and quickly cause fatigue after physical exertion.

Poor blood circulation

When blood circulation is less smooth, the calf muscles are less able to pump blood back up. The blood then remains at the bottom of the legs, making the legs feel heavy, tired and uncomfortable. Poor blood circulation is therefore the main cause of heavy legs. Some people suffer more from heavy legs than others; This is often a matter of genetic predisposition, but also of age. Older people suffer more from tired, lethargic legs than younger people.

Additional causes

The basic cause of heavy legs is a problem with blood flow. Poor blood circulation can occur in many cases that exacerbate the problem, such as:

• overweight
• varicose veins
• pregnancy
• warm temperatures
• little exercise
• hereditary predisposition to varicose veins
• hereditary predisposition to rapid blood clotting
• Exercising for a long time: legs feel heavy because waste products have accumulated in the calves

Tips against heavy legs

One of the most important tips to prevent heavy legs in the first place is exercise. Sufficient exercise keeps the muscles active, which means that waste products are removed more quickly. In general, it is also useful to avoid heat, as this complicates blood circulation. Instead of a long, hot bath, it is best to take a cold shower. Cold makes the veins stronger, which improves blood circulation. Wearing loose clothing is also recommended so that your legs have more freedom of movement and the blood is not restricted (e.g. behind the knee). If you are tired and your legs feel heavy, it is also useful to elevate your legs for ten minutes, for example on a pillow. If your feet are higher than your body, blood can flow back and circulate more easily in the rest of your body. Finally, it is important to eat a balanced diet (lots of vegetables and fruit) and drink plenty of water.

Treatment of heavy legs

Remove the cause

The treatment of heavy legs consists primarily of finding the correct cause and eliminating it. In the previous list you can look at the possible cause of your heavy legs and use this to ensure proper treatment. Taking a painkiller is also useful to quickly counteract the pain in the legs.

Leg angel

The intention is to stimulate blood flow again so that the blood can be pushed back up through the valves in the calf muscles. This can be done by applying a gel, cream or balm that is specifically aimed at the legs and calves. A leg gel can ensure better blood circulation and can quickly get rid of the heavy feeling in the legs. You can also achieve the same effect by massaging your legs with a soothing massage oil.

Compression stocking

A very effective tip to preventively treat heavy legs is to wear a compression stocking. A support stocking or compression stocking ensures good blood circulation in the legs, which means that waste products are removed more quickly. The stocking exerts pressure on the veins, stimulating their function. This will allow you to recover faster and you will also get tired less quickly. These stockings therefore have a preventive effect and greatly reduce the chance of a heavy and lethargic feeling in the legs.

Tip: device for better blood circulation

Heavy, swollen and painful legs are often related to poor blood circulation. You can exercise to promote blood circulation, but if that is a problem, there are other options. One of these is to use a device to promote blood circulation in the muscles of the legs. This device – also called a blood circulation improver – stimulates blood circulation via electrical muscle stimulation or ESM , which causes the muscles to contract and relax. If you use this device for twenty minutes every day you can already notice an improvement. Complaints such as heavy legs, swollen ankles and even cold feet can be remedied. Some examples of such devices that stimulate circulation are:

• Revitive Blood circulation improver
• Revitive Circulation Booster
• Bodi-tek Blood circulation

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