Tired Legs, A Symptom of Venous Insufficiency

Why do my legs feel tired, heavy and swollen?

Alongside muscles around the leg veins which contract to push blood to the heart, there is a system of valves that prevent blood from flowing backwards due to gravity. However, when this system fails, blood returning to the heart may significantly decrease, resulting in potential accumulation and leakage of fluid in the veins, hence causing swelling and heaviness in the legs.¹

My legs feel tired. Do I have venous insufficiency?

The feeling of tired legs associated with venous insufficiency may manifest as a dull ache, palpitations or a feeling of pressure after prolonged standing. Some people have also described their feeling of tired legs as numbness in the legs, "aching" legs, or some sort of stiffness.² It is relieved by taking steps to facilitate blood circulation, such as elevating the legs, walking, wearing compression stockings and/or using venoactive drugs.³

If you think you have any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

Predisposing factors

There are some many factors that predispose people to suffer from tired legs. Some of these factors cannot be modified, such as gender (female), genetic inheritance and hormonal status (pregnancy), but others may be avoided or changed, such as a sedentary lifestyle, prolonged exposure to sun and heat, excessive standing, being overweight and constipation.¹ It is strongly recommended to follow our advice on dealing with tired legs.

What should I do about it?

Venous insufficiency and tired legs are usually deemed as minor problems by healthcare professionals, hence not given the importance that they deserve.⁴ However, early diagnosis and the use of preventive treatments may alleviate symptoms and stop progression of the disease.² In addition, venous insufficiency may become complicated and aggravated if not properly managed,² where it is necessary to address the problem of tired legs as early as possible with preventive and therapeutic actions.²

Preventive measures include²:

• Following a healthy diet and avoiding obesity.
• Exercise and walk whenever possible.
• Avoid prolonged standing and, if standing, flex the calf muscles from time to time.
• Avoid tight clothing and footwear.
• Wear compression stockings.
• Take cold showers and have leg massages.
• Keep legs elevated during resting.

There are also medications that help to increase the tone and consistency of the veins, as well as improve symptoms and prevent progression of the disease.²

How can I relieve the pain of tired legs?

Fortunately, there are some practical tips for relieving the pain of tired legs. There are routines that can be adopted both at home and at work, which would come in handy in many situations when symptoms may be aggravated, such as on flights, during pregnancy or in the summer.^1,5,6