Elevating your legs helps reduce pressure on the veins, especially for those who stand or sit all day. Moreover, elevating your legs promotes blood circulation instead of forcing the circulatory system to work against gravity to push blood back to the heart. These reasons make elevating your legs while relaxing or sleeping beneficial for your health.
1. Leg Elevation Therapy
Performing leg elevation therapy can help blood circulate more effectively while reducing pressure on the lower extremities, allowing the heart to rest. Additionally, when the legs are in this position, it can help the body reduce inflammation and swelling. Or, if you have muscle tension, performing leg elevation can help alleviate this condition, allowing for better blood circulation and resting limbs.
2. Benefits of Leg Elevation for Health
Sitting or lying with elevated legs can have several potential health benefits, such as improving blood flow. Oxygen-depleted blood returns to the heart through veins. Unlike your arteries, the pressure in your veins is relatively low. To help blood move, your veins use small valves, and the contraction of surrounding muscles helps move blood back to the heart. When sitting or standing, oxygen-depleted blood in your legs must also work against gravity to return to the heart. Elevating your legs will cause them to be higher than your heart, creating gravity that helps improve blood flow in the veins in your legs.
- Reduces swelling: Swelling can occur due to the buildup of excess fluid (edema) or inflammation, or it can be due to an injury or certain health conditions that can cause your legs to swell. Similarly, elevating your legs can improve blood flow, and elevating your legs above heart level can help excess fluid drain more effectively.
- Reduces pressure: Standing or sitting for long periods can cause blood to pool in the veins in your legs and can increase pressure in these veins. As a result, it can contribute to developing conditions such as varicose veins. Elevating your legs can help reduce pressure in the legs by allowing pooled blood to drain. If you have been standing for a while, sitting down with your legs elevated can also help relieve pressure and reduce pain in tired legs.
- Reduces back pain: Lying on your back while sleeping puts pressure on your lower back. Resting in this position while elevating your legs or knees can help you sleep more comfortably as it can relieve uncomfortable pressure on your lower spine by rotating your pelvis. If you have severe back pain or chronic back pain, elevate your legs significantly using a large pillow or knee support.
- Improves spinal alignment: Many people believe sleeping on their backs is good for spinal alignment. However, the spines of our spine curve naturally, almost in an "S" shape, especially towards our lower back. Resting in a flat position can put uncomfortable pressure on this natural curve, causing discomfort, pain, and unnecessary stress on our spine. Back sleepers can address this by placing a pillow under their knees to rotate the pelvis upward and reduce the spine.
- Faster recovery from injuries: Injuries often lead to swelling, and although this is not necessarily a cause for concern, swelling can be uncomfortable. Injured body parts swell because our circulatory system sends additional fluid and white blood cells to the area to help our body heal. Swelling can not only be uncomfortable, it can also be painful. Pain occurs because the swollen tissues press on nerves, which send pain signals to our brain. However, you can minimize this pain or discomfort by elevating your legs to reduce swelling and promote more blood flow.
3. In which cases is elevating the legs beneficial?
Venous conditions. Sitting, standing, or being inactive for long periods can increase the risk of developing venous conditions. Elevating your legs can help prevent or reduce venous conditions such as:
- Superficial thrombophlebitis: This occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein just under the skin and can cause swelling and pain. While some are low-risk, others may be linked to deep vein thrombosis.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): When a blood clot forms in one of your deep veins, usually in your legs. These clots can block blood flow, leading to swelling or pain in your leg. These clots can also travel to your lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.
- Varicose veins: Varicose veins occur when blood pools in your veins. These veins are just under the skin's surface and appear swollen, blue, and twisted. Varicose veins can cause symptoms that are often worse after sitting or standing for long periods.
- Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI): This occurs when blood cannot return to your heart effectively, causing blood to pool in your legs, and can cause a variety of symptoms in your legs, including pain, swelling, and varicose veins.
- Injury: If you have an injury that affects your leg, you may experience symptoms such as pain, aching, and swelling. Elevating your legs before bed can help reduce these symptoms.
- After surgery: Elevating your legs can also help reduce pain and swelling. Additionally, blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or superficial thrombophlebitis are a concern after surgery, especially with hip or leg surgery. While gentle movement and avoiding staying in one position for too long are important, elevating your legs periodically can help reduce the risk of blood clot formation.
- During pregnancy: Swelling in the lower extremities is common due to increased water retention, hormonal changes, and pressure from the enlarging uterus. Elevating your legs can help reduce this swelling.
- Cellulitis: Cellulitis is a skin infection, usually caused by bacteria. Bacteria enter the body through cracks in the skin and can cause symptoms such as pain, redness, and swelling. The infection itself is treated with antibiotics. However, if cellulitis develops on your arm or leg, your doctor may recommend elevating the affected limb above your heart 1 to reduce swelling.
- Lymphedema: Lymphedema can occur when your lymphatic system is damaged and can cause lymphatic fluid to build up, leading to swelling in various body parts, including your legs. Lymphedema can progress and gradually worsen over time. Elevating your legs can help reduce swelling in the early stages of this condition, but it is ineffective in the later stages.
4. How to elevate your legs
The time and frequency you should elevate your legs can depend on your health condition and efforts. Some ways to elevate your legs can help reduce symptoms caused by varicose veins.
Switch to a reclining or lying position. Position your legs so they are higher than your heart, and use a pillow to achieve this. If you can't elevate your legs to the level of your heart, try resting your legs on a table, couch, or sofa, as this will still help slow down the effects of gravity. You should elevate your legs and hold for about 15 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day.
Elevating your legs can benefit your health in several ways. Some of the main benefits include improving blood flow, reducing inflammation, and reducing pressure in the veins in your legs. You can elevate your legs to help relieve symptoms of varicose veins and reduce swelling during pregnancy. It can also be a helpful way to prevent blood clots after surgery. However, to perform this action, you must ensure enough support for your back and legs before trying to elevate your legs. Talk to your doctor before elevating your legs if you have underlying health conditions.
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