It has happened to most people from time to time, your legs feel heavy and tired when walking and it appears like it takes everything you have to walk. It is normal to feel in this manner periodically after an excellent work out. If you have not been doing heavy exercises with your legs and you feel by doing this all the time, it might be a major medical problem. You ought to see your medical doctor and let them understand about this symptom. It could be nothing, but it could be PVD.
Medical Issues That Make Legs Feel Heavy and Tired When Walking
If your legs feel heavy and tired when walking often, it might be a sign of peripheral vascular disease. This is not just a sign of aging, it is a severe flow problem and can be life threatening. This is something you have to talk about with your doctor and you’ll likely need a physical that centers around your circulatory system. If you wish to study up on medical tests and how to do CPR, you can take an online class to read more about what the doctor may advise.
PVD (Peripheral Vascular Disease) is a common circulatory issue that influences about one in every 5 individuals over the age of 50. Symptoms include pain in the legs or the legs feeling extremely heavy when you walk or climb upstairs. After some rest the symptoms disappear. What is going on is that the blood vessels are restricted due to excessive cholesterol or plaque in the arteries. This plaque doesn’t leave enough room in the veins and arteries for the blood to flow like it needs to when you work out. These symptoms can get extremely serious and cause a stroke or heart disease.
When you discuss this problem with your doctor, you will be provided a series of noninvasive tests that will figure out whether you have PVD. These tests will include the ankle-brachial test (ABI). The ABI test compares the high blood pressure in your ankle to your arm and will offer a great indicator if your legs are experiencing PVD. If it appears that blood circulation is being obstructed then more testing will be suggested.
It is very important to take the time to discuss this concern of your legs feeling heavy and tired when walking with your doctor. To let PVD go neglected, you can end up having a stroke or establishing heart disease. It isn’t simply “aging” or “exercising too tough” when it is occurring all the time.
More Causes of Legs Feel Heavy and Tired When Walking
There are other causes of the legs feeling like they are simply too heavy to continue walking or climbing. There are perfectly typical causes like pregnancy, sitting too long, crossing your legs or a really hot and damp day. These problems will occur from time to time and it is not essential to go running to the doctor to report it.
Standing or sitting for hours at a time without getting up and walking around can cause blood to swimming pool in your legs and feet. This isn’t really a serious condition, it occurs only since you are not moving around. You might discover that your feet are swollen and legs feel stiff and heavy. Just walking around gets your blood streaming once again and the issue is resolved.
A hot and humid day can also cause swelling of the legs and feet. The heat of the day, particularly when consuming alcoholic drinks, can cause the blood to pool in the legs and feet. If you need to sit for extended periods of time in the heat, lower alcohols or don’t drink at all and walk around from time to time. This enables the blood to move and not pool in the legs and feet.
It is essential to use clothes that is comfortable and not incredibly tight. Tight clothes can likewise restrict blood flow. If you cut off blood circulation then your organs won’t have the ability to work properly, so actually, provide yourself space to breathe when you buy a brand-new outfit.
Treatments for Legs Feel Heavy and Tired When Walking
If you have been detected with high cholesterol or PVD, there are things you can do while you are getting treatment to assist your blood circulation. There are simple and fun things to do that will assist your blood circulation a little much better.
Spend lavishly and get a complete body massage. Well, it isn’t actually a splurge. It is medically needed to a specific degree due to the fact that you need to do things that are going to help your blood circulation. When your arteries are clogged up, you need all the assistance you can get and massage is a terrific little bit of help. The long strokes the massage therapist uses on the legs will always go up to the heart. The reason for this is to assist the blood push back as much as where it is aiming to go– to the heart. Getting an hour massage at least when per week can do marvels for your blood circulation and assist you to feel a lot better.
Start a Walking Program
Start a walking program. You do not need to be a power walker, you can walk just a mile or more every day and it will have a profound impact on your general health and well being. Walking for an hour a day for a few days a week can decrease your high blood pressure by quite a bit, also.
To start a walking program, plan out where you are going to walk and dedicate a specific amount of time to it every day. You might want to start with 1/2 an hour each day if you aren’t used to putting in the time for an early morning stroll. It might be easiest to get in your walk as soon as you roll out of bed. Put on your walking clothes, do some stretches and go out there and get it done. The benefit of walking extremely early in the morning exists is less traffic and there is less smog. If you develop a sweat then you’re covered due to the fact that you have not taken your early morning shower yet!
Attempt walking for 1/2 an hour a day at first. Walk as far as 15 minutes will take you then turn around and walk home. If that is excessive in the beginning, then start with only 15 minutes each day. Go at a simple speed and do not hurry. Just walk. After a number of weeks, add ten more minutes to your time and keep adding time up until you are walking at least one hour each day, 4 days each week. You will discover a vast distinction in how you think, how you feel and your tired and heavy leg sensation will begin to enhance a bit.
Tai Chi Helps Enhance Blood Circulation
You might have seen individuals practicing Tai Chi in the park or have actually seen pictures of individuals in a Tai Chi class. There are usually a number of people lined up in a grid pattern and their arms are outstretched, moving gradually. They will weave and stand then sit, all in sluggish balanced movements.
Tai Chi has been discussed a lot in the past few years because of the great health benefits that are originated from it. Its origin was a martial art, but in the U.S.A it is a way to keep very healthy. A great thing about Tai Chi is that you can start it even if you are in poor health. It is low impact and you are working out in slow movement. You will not recognize that it is doing anything for you at all, but it is. It is simply that easy on the body. It is a wonderful way to enhance muscle function, circulation and high blood pressure.
Get an Exercise Program Started
Whether you take up walking, massage, Tai Chi or yoga, you really need to begin some sort of workout program. Naturally, you need to talk with your doctor about dietary modifications and ask him or her how much activity you can endure with an exercise program. For some, an extensive exercise program would not be a smart idea and could do more damage than good. For others, they will be offered the go ahead to go complete steam ahead and take up racquetball or marathon running. But do speak to your doctor about it first if you have health concerns. A lot of individuals have to relax when their cholesterol is so high that it is causing their legs to feel tired and heavy or if you have pain.
Often it is best to relax with an exercise program to improve blood circulation and your overall health. This is why walking and Tai Chi are so popular. You can do these health programs at any age and in any health condition, as there are classes for people in any shape. There are even Tai Chi classes for those who are in a wheel chair or simply recovering from surgery.
If the factor your legs feel heavy and tired when walking is simply a matter of sitting around too much and you are in excellent health, then go all out. You can take a class to obtain athletic legs or a class to get a total hot body! Simply set your mind to enhancing your health. Yes, it is a genuine pain to obtain going at first, however as you continue you will start to feel so much better. When your circulation enhances then you will be able to believe much better, your high blood pressure will go down and you will have a lot more energy every day. You will even sleep much better during the night and remain in a great state of mind throughout the day. Maybe your legs feeling heavy and tired when walking were the best thing that ever took place to you.