Tips for taking the strain off the veins with sedentary occupations

Apart from office workers, there are other groups with sedentary occupations, such as cashiers, bus drivers, truck drivers, pilots, and train drivers.

Sitting for long periods cannot be avoided with these occupations. The blood pools more easily in the legs, as the muscle pump hardly functions when we are sitting still.

Nevertheless, you can do something to improve the situation and activate the muscle pump periodically even when sitting down.

• As a basic principle, you should make sure that you sit correctly, in an ergonomic position, to prevent postural deformities and to increase your concentration.
• It is also important for the veins that your chair is at the right height, so that your feet are flat on the floor and not dangling free. If the chair is too high, use a footrest, stool, or other support.
• Your veins will be grateful if you have as many breaks as possible when sitting for long periods. Stand up and move whenever you can. Even at the office, you can often move around. Go and fetch your post yourself, use the stairs rather than the elevator, and walk over to colleagues rather than call them on the phone. Try to take a short walk in the lunch break. Brief discussions can also be held standing up.
• Change the position of your legs and feet as often as possible and shift from one foot to the other on the spot.
• You can do most of the vein exercises in the office or while sitting down anywhere.
• Even though perhaps not possible on your desk, you can still sometimes put your feet up for a short time, for example, on a stool or on a footrest.
• Do not wear trousers, stockings, or belts that are too tight, so that the circulation is not cut off.

If you follow all this advice, you are certainly doing your best to take the strain off your veins during sedentary occupations.