No other part of the body takes us more places than our legs. But they can keep us from going places, too.
Our legs can defy us, with painful injuries afflicting everything from thigh to foot. Poor care of our bodies manifests itself in the legs, from unsightly varicose veins to debilitating gout.
A long-ago sports injury may come back to haunt you today; or arthritis may stiffen your knees or ankles as you age.
But with a little prevention, some exercise and other tips provided here, your legs can keep on kicking.
Varicose veins
The problem: Varicose veins are twisted and enlarged veins that are typically close to the surface of the skin, but can affect deeper blood vessels as well.
One in four adults has vein problems, although women are four to 10 times more likely to develop them, said Dr. Luis Navarro, a surgeon who runs a treatment center at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. Half of all women over 40 suffer from varicose veins or spider veins, which are less serious breaks in smaller, surface veins.
Something as ordinary as sitting with crossed legs may promote the problem. “Crossing the legs is like second nature for most women and some men, too,” Navarro said. “It’s a bad habit and one of the first things you should learn to undo if you suffer from varicose veins.”
Why? Crossing the legs slows the upward flow of blood and increases pressure inside the veins, Navarro explained, adding that it doesn’t matter if you cross at the knee or the ankles. Diet, obesity, age and a sedentary lifestyle also can contribute to venous problems.
The remedy: Exercise — walk, walk, walk. Don’t sit for long periods of time. Take small, movement, or more walking, breaks. When sitting, rotate the ankles and flex the toes often. Eat a high-fiber diet to avoid constipation and try to maintain an ideal weight. Elevate legs six to 12 inches above the heart while sleeping. Wear mild compression stockings if your job (as a cashier, for example) requires you to stand in one place with little movement all day.
Achilles’ heel
The problem: The term refers to the tendons that connect your heel to your calf. Under stress, usually during exercise, the tendons become inflamed, sending out the signal in the form of either a dull or sharp pain coming from the top of your heel. Usually, the cause is overstrain of the calf muscles, whether it’s because you’re not stretching properly before or after exercise or overdoing it. Walking or running up and down hills also can lead to Achilles’ heel. In severe cases, the stress tendons can form scar tissue or even be torn.
The remedy: Stop running or walking. Ice the area several times a day and take aspirin or ibuprofen. Check your feet for overpronation (leaning toward each other more than usual). Massage can help, and stretching is vital after an attack subsides to prevent further damage. Ease back into your exercise program slowly over several weeks. Severe cases of Achilles’ heel should be treated by a doctor.
Arthritis
The problem: Inflammation of the joints, whether by wear and tear (osteoarthritis) or chronically (rheumatoid). Arthritis hits the knees especially.
In rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune disease, tissues in the joints are attacked, then build up fluid, and become tender and hard to move.
In osteoarthritis, wear and tear of cartilage resulting from sports injuries or aging brings on painful movement of joints.
The remedy: Alleviating the pain during attacks is the No. 1 priority of treatment. Two classes of drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, are used in the front lines of fighting pain from rheumatoid arthritis.
Scientists also are exploring how certain proteins, such as tumor necrosis factor can be controlled and perhaps halt progression of the disease.