Healthy veins with vein training

Any form of exercise does the veins good. In addition, specific exercises to strengthen the leg muscles are particularly valuable, if you have already have vein disease or want to prevent it. Strong leg muscles compress the vein walls particularly effectively, e.g. when walking, which helps to push the blood from the legs to the heart against gravity.

Therefore, regular vein training helps to prevent vein weakness, supports treatment, and contributes to personal wellbeing.

The exercises recommended are exercises that can be done sitting or standing practically anywhere – at home watching television, during leisure time, at work, and also on a plane, in a car, bus, or train. The exercises are best done barefoot, wearing socks, wearing trainers, or other soft sports shoes. Even a few minutes each day will lead to improvement. Start today!

Vein exercises sitting down

The first rule of success is to perform the vein exercises regularly. Ideally, the exercises should be repeated 3-4 times a day.

Exercise 1

Sit on the front half of a chair with your back straight and legs together. The thighs should form an angle of 90° with the lower legs and the toes be pointing forwards. Now lift both legs together on to the tips of the toes and quickly replace the feet flat on the floor. Repeat 20 times.

Exercise 2

Sit on the chair as in exercise 1. Alternately put the left and the right foot slowly on the heel – in other words, alternately raise the toes – and return the foot to the floor. Repeat 10 times with the left foot and 10 times with the right.

Exercise 3

First with the right foot, then with the left, raise the leg until the foot is on tiptoe and then raise the toes (until your heels are on the floor). Repeat 10 times on the right and 10 times on the left.

Exercise 4

Raise the legs and make a cycling motion as if you were riding a bicycle. Repeat 20 times.

Exercise 5

Now sit with your back resting against the back of the chair. Hold firmly on to the back of the chair with both hands. Push your feet and legs up off the floor using your toes, hold them in the air for a moment, and then slowly place your feet back on the floor. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise 6

Sit with your back against the chair as for exercise 5. Hold firmly on to the back of the chair with both hands. Stretch your legs out straight in front of you and lower them again. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise 7

Sit as for exercises 5 and 6. Hold one leg out in front of you. Move the foot in a circular motion 10 times to the left, then 10 times to the right. Repeat with the other leg.

 

Vein exercises standing up

Performing these vein exercises regularly is also necessary for success. Ideally, the exercises should be repeated 3-4 times a day.

Exercise 1

Keeping your legs together, rise on to the toes and slowly lower the heels. Repeat 20 times.

Exercise 2

Stand with your toes on a thick book and, keeping the legs together, rise on to the toes. Slowly lower the heels to the floor. Repeat 20 times.

Exercise 3

Stand on your toes and walk a few paces on tiptoe. Repeat after a short rest.

Exercise 4

Walk a few paces on your heels. Once again, repeat after a short rest.

Exercise 5

Stand in a walking stance, with one foot forward, in front of a wall and support yourself against it with outstretched arms. Keep the arms shoulder-width apart.

Bend the front leg a little and take your weight on it. Then stretch the other leg back and rest it on its toes. Now lower the heel of the back leg slowly towards the floor and bend the front leg until you feel the back leg is being stretched. Keep your weight on the front leg throughout the whole exercise. Hold this position for at least 10 seconds and repeat it 5 times. Then do the same with the other leg.

Exercise 6

Stand upright with the feet about hip width apart. Using the feet alternately, raise one foot on to the toes, hold it there briefly and then return the foot to the floor. Repeat 10 times with each leg.

Exercise 7

Stork walk around the room, lifting the knee to an angle of about 90°each time. It is even more effective if you also lift the heel of the leg you are balancing on, that is to say, if you go on tiptoe. Take several paces, then rest, and repeat.