Keep Those Legs Uncrossed!
Many women and men may cross their legs when they sit down, but some doctors around the country are now encouraging people to stop, reports CBS This Morning Health Contributor Dr. Dave Hnida of CBS station KCNC-TV in Denver.
Whether it's done as a social posture or for physical comfort, doctors warn that crossing your legs can cause varicose veins.
As part of National Leg Awareness Week, medical experts are advising people to break the habit, which slows the upward flow of blood in the legs. That then increases pressure inside the veins.
However, there are several ways to control the condition and keep leg veins healthy and strong, including:
- Don't cross your legs
- Try not to sit for long periods of time
- If you must sit for prolonged periods, rotate and flex your ankles to increase blood circulation
- Exercise regularly to help keep the blood flowing
- For women whose job requires standing all day, wear mild support stockings
Although varicose veins will not disappear on their own, doctors can either surgically remove them or inject them with a drug that shuts the damaged veins down.
Reported By Dr. Dave Hnida