Varicose veins are a disorder of the superficial venous system of the legs. They manifest themselves with swelling and dilatation of the veins of the lower limbs – explains Dr. Elisa Casabianca, vascular surgeon of the Humanitas hospital – and signal a “defect” in the circulation that fails to bring the blood to the heart regularly. A personal predisposition is a constant in the presence of venous insufficiency; however, among the risk factors of varicose veins there is also the lifestyle. In fact, a sedentary life, being overweight, cigarette smoke and spending a lot of time standing, are all unfavorable for those who suffer from this disease. A move towards a healthier lifestyle, mainly characterized by physical activity, offers greater opportunities for preventing varicose veins. Movement, in fact, is essential for a good circulation, both to maintain it and to reactivate it when it needs a “push”. In addition, regular physical activity will also solve the other main cause of leg swelling that makes circulation difficult, namely obesity. In all cases, if symptoms of varicose veins occur (leg heaviness, swelling, swelling of blood vessels) a specialist should be consulted for appropriate examinations and controls.
