What causes swollen legs after sitting for a long time?

Due to the current living conditions, many people sit for long periods of time at work or school. Sitting for a long time will not only make the buttocks bigger, but also affect the health of the body. Some people will even have swollen calves after sitting for a long time.

Poor blood circulation, long-term sitting, severe lack of exercise, poor blood circulation in the human body, obstructed blood flow, leading to easy swelling of the feet. Long-term walking or standing, improper sitting posture, long legs hanging down, and long-term sitting can lead to poor blood circulation in the lower limbs, so reducing the auxiliary effect of muscle exercise on venous blood return will cause edema. Ill-fitting shoes can also cause edema. This kind of edema will subside after rest. When the weather is hot, the edema will worsen. Overweight or obese patients, especially women, are prone to functional edema of the lower limbs. The increase of subcutaneous fat tissue in obese people can weaken the support of superficial veins, making them easy to expand and reducing the pressure outside the blood vessels; edema can be improved or disappear after losing weight and increasing exercise.

There is a certain standard for the intake of salt, and some people like to eat some salty foods. If they eat them frequently, the salt concentration in the body will inevitably soar. The main component of salt is sodium. In order to neutralize sodium, the body will produce some water. In addition, if you sit for a long time, your calves will become swollen. In your spare time in the office, you can tap your legs to relax your muscles. You can also use your fists to gently beat your muscles after soaking your feet every day to help relax your muscles. The midline of the back of the leg concentrates acupuncture points that are helpful in eliminating fatigue and expelling toxins. You can tap them frequently to help expel water and toxins. If the swelling of the feet is severe, you can use red beans, coix seeds, and poria to make soup instead of tea. You can usually eat some kelp, radish, etc. It helps to promote diuresis and reduce swelling.

1. Obstruction of Qi and blood circulation

According to traditional Chinese medicine, Qi and blood are the basis for transporting "nutrients" to various parts of the human body. Only when Qi and blood flow smoothly can the internal organs "move" because of the sufficient Qi and blood. However, when the human body is in a sedentary state, the movement of the legs is almost zero, and the Qi and blood circulation of the whole body will be hindered. This is most strongly reflected in the calves that "control" the return of blood to the heart. Among them, calf swelling is the most common symptom.

2. Premonition of thrombotic disease

Everyone has muscles on their calves, which are not only for enhancing the sense of strength in the legs, but also for promoting the circulation of qi and blood in the veins, so that it can be better transported to the heart. It can be said to be a "compass" for maintaining the body's life signals. However, when you sit still for a long time, the muscle tissue in the calf is like a "quiet lake", and the circulation and return of qi and blood are suppressed. The blood will produce abnormal coagulation in the veins, so the calf will naturally become swollen and uncomfortable. In addition to swelling of the calf, due to the slow return of qi and blood and the effect of gravity, blood will stagnate in the legs. In the long run, it is very easy to cause local thrombosis. Don't ignore it.

3. Too much salt in the diet

There is a certain standard for salt intake, and some people like to eat salty foods. If they eat them frequently, the salt concentration in the body will inevitably soar. The main component of salt is sodium. In order to neutralize sodium, the body will produce some water. In addition, when sitting for a long time, the calf will become swollen.

The problem of edema in the thighs caused by long-term sitting also exists. Edema is local or systemic swelling caused by the accumulation of water in the extracellular fluid of the body. Edema is related to the pathological changes of many organs in the body. There are many causes of edema, which are complex and changeable. It is recommended to go to a local large medical institution for routine urine examination, kidney B-ultrasound and heart B-ultrasound. Sitting still for a long time will make the blood circulation unsmooth, resulting in insufficient blood supply to the brain, feeling tired and weak all over, wanting to sleep and yawning frequently. Sitting for a long time will also affect gastrointestinal function, and some people will have stomach problems. Sitting often will weaken the peristalsis of the stomach due to lack of exercise, and the secretion of digestive juice will also be reduced. Sitting for a long time will affect gastrointestinal peristalsis. Due to the reduction of digestive juice secretion, the digestion and absorption capacity of the stomach will be reduced, which will easily cause food accumulation, causing constipation, bloating and other indigestion symptoms. Because the stool accumulates in the intestine for a long time, it will stimulate the intestinal mucosa and induce colorectal cancer. In addition, poor blood circulation will block venous return and easily cause hemorrhoids. Sitting for a long time will cause a lot of fat to accumulate in the buttocks, making the buttocks larger and affecting the blood circulation in the buttocks. In addition, the buttocks are prone to sweating, and moisture is not discharged smoothly, which is very likely to cause fungal infections, causing skin allergies or eczema on the buttocks. When sitting for a long time, it is difficult to consume calories, which will turn into fat accumulation in the body, causing weight gain, obesity, and even increasing the risk of chronic diseases.

1: Sitting for a long time will not only cause swelling of your calves, but also cause back pain, so don't sit for a long time. It is best to stand up every 50 minutes or an hour to drink a glass of water, go to the toilet, and walk more, which can promote blood circulation in your calves.

2. After sitting for a long time, the calf muscles are in a static state. Gently massaging the calves can also promote the circulation of qi and blood in the legs, and have a certain "dissipation" effect on stagnant qi and blood.

3: If you are really busy and have no time to walk, then remember to soak your feet in warm water when you get home at night. This is also a good way to improve calf swelling.

Now that we have mentioned the “culprit” behind calf edema caused by long-term sitting, I hope that people who have this habit will pay more attention to it and never let it deplete your health.