Does Standing for Long Periods Cause Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are a medical condition characterized by the presence of enlarged, bulging, twisted, and swollen bluish-purple veins in your lower legs. This is typically caused as an inherited condition but may also be seen due to aging, pregnancy, obesity, and prolonged standing or sitting. So does prolonged standing cause varicose veins? On average, a person may work 30+ hours per week that require sitting or standing. Prolonged standing can lead to various health issues, including foot, back, and knee problems, and vein or circulation problems. How does standing for long periods cause varicose veins?

Does Standing for Long Periods Cause Varicose Veins?

The purpose of veins is to return blood to the heart for oxygenation, which requires a lot of hard work if they need to push blood to the heart from your feet and legs, while constantly standing. Standing for extended periods can negatively impact your blood circulation, pose extra pressure and strain on your legs and cause varicose veins to develop or worsen. The excess pressure on the vein walls and valves can abnormally stretch and hamper the blood flow against the gravity from your legs to your heart. This causes the backward flow of blood which leads to the pooling of the blood in the affected veins. As a result, the veins bulge out giving an unpleasant spidery web appearance. Early symptoms of varicose veins due to prolonged standing include a reddish, bluish-purple network of veins appearing on your legs, knees and ankles with leg pain, heaviness, a burning sensation and discomfort which may usually reduce on sitting but increases with movement and standing. 

What Jobs Put you at Risk for Varicose Veins?

Prolonged standing or sitting is not a normal activity that you follow. This is required only if your job demands it. The following jobs put you at an increased risk of varicose veins due to standing for long periods.

• Education

• • • Teachers and professors are more prone to varicose veins due to hours of standing during their lectures.
    • Female teachers are more prone due to pregnancy and fashion trends like high heels.

• Hospitality and beauty

• • • Salon hairdressers, hotel receptionists, cash registers at malls and supermarkets, baggage checkers, and hotel waiters are likely to develop varicose veins due to prolonged standing.

• Medical

• • • Busy surgeons require standing for long hours during complex surgeries and are at risk of developing varicose veins.
    • Nurses and ward boys who work for shifts beyond 8 hours require a lot of standing during their work.

• Traffic police

• • • Traffic police officials have highly demanding and draining work shifts that require them to stand for long hours day and night. 

• Security officials

• • Watchmen and security guards have 12 hours rotating shifts that require them to stand for long durations making them prone to varicose veins. 

How to Prevent Varicose Veins if you Need to Stand for Long Periods?

You can effectively prevent the occurrence of varicose veins through lifestyle changes and being active with regular exercise and workouts. If your job demands you to stand for more than 8 hours, the following changes can help prevent varicose veins or reduce the symptoms if you already suffer from it:

• Stay active

• • • Take a brisk walk around your work area during your breaks to help improve blood circulation.
    • Park your car at a distance and walk to your workstation.
    • These activities can effectively engage your calf muscles to support blood flow in the leg vein.

• Switch positions

• • • Try to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day at your workplace. 
    • Move around as much as possible to improve blood circulation in the legs.

• Shed the extra kilos

• • • Obesity is a major risk factor for varicose veins.
    • Reduce the extra weight through healthy eating and regular exercise to put off the strain and pressure from your legs.

• Eat a healthy diet

• • • Cut down on excess salt which causes water retention and puts pressure on the veins of your legs.
    • Opt for a low-fat, high-fibre diet.

• Elevate your feet

• • • Elevating your legs above your heart level takes the strain off your veins and facilitates blood flow in the right direction back to your heart.
    • Prop your legs on 2 to 3 pillows for 15 minutes once you are back home after work.

• Use Compression stockings

• • Stockings are conservative treatments to help relieve the symptoms of varicose veins since they exert pressure on your legs to improve blood circulation.
  • Wear low-heeled shoes or flats to reduce pressure on your legs to prevent varicose veins.

Takeaway

Varicose veins are twisted and enlarged veins commonly seen in your lower legs that may be inherited. However, there could be other causes for developing varicose veins that include- aging, pregnancy, obesity and prolonged standing or sitting. Standing for long periods can cause varicose veins since there is a huge amount of pressure on the veins to push back the blood to the heart from your legs. This leads to the pooling of blood which causes the veins to stretch and bulge giving a spider web appearance. Certain jobs are highly demanding and require you to stand for prolonged durations, which cannot be avoided. Changing jobs is not always the best solution, hence there are certain changes mentioned above that can help you reduce your risk of developing varicose veins or alleviate the symptoms if you already suffer from them. 

If your job demands standing for long hours, and you happen to notice any early signs and symptoms of varicose veins, consult our expert team at Medfin, for further evaluation and management. 

Disclaimer: 

The content on this site is the copyright of Medfin and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This should not be considered as a substitute for medical and surgical expertise. Results from any treatments or surgeries are subjective to an individual patient and the type of procedure/ surgery performed. Please seek professional help regarding any medical concerns. Medfin will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.