Many people spend much time either sitting or standing. It is often good to elevate your legs....CONTINUE READING
According to “Healthline”, sitting or lying down with your legs elevated can have many potential health benefits. They include:
1. Boost blood flow
Raising your legs can help boost blood flow in your lower extremities.
Oxygen-depleted blood returns to your heart via your veins. Unlike your arteries, the pressure in your veins is relatively low.
To assist in moving blood along, your veins use tiny valves and the contraction of surrounding muscles to help in moving blood back toward your heart.
When you’re sitting or standing, oxygen-depleted blood in your legs must also work against gravity to return to your heart.
Raising your legs places them above the level of your heart. This shows that gravity is now working in your favour.
This may assist in enhancing blood flow in the veins in your legs.
2. Lowers swelling
Swelling can occur as a result of the accumulation of excess fluid (edema) or inflammation.
Injuries or certain medical conditions may cause swelling to happen in your legs.
3. Lowers pressure
Prolonged periods of standing or sitting can allow blood to pool in the veins of your legs.
This can cause an increase in pressure in these veins which, in turn, may lead to the development of conditions such as varicose veins.
Raising your legs can help lessen the pressure in your legs by making blood that has pooled drain away.
If you’ve been standing for a while, sitting down with your legs elevated can also help ease the pressure and tenderness of tired feet.
