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At the end of the day and we get home we sometimes check how our feet are swollen, we notice them tired and footwear bothers us. In addition to his own edemaThis situation is accompanied by itching, heat, cramps or heavy legs.
According to specialists, the most frequent cause as the main reason for swelling of our feet is venous insufficiency. It is the «inability of the veins to carry out the adequate return of blood to the heart, which causes the accumulation of this in the legs» and that is aggravated by wearing socks, stockings or very tight belts or in the case of people who they spend a lot of time standing or sitting at the end of the day. However, the causes that our feet increase in volume are several, as they remind us from the Illustrious Official College of Podiatrists of the Valencian Community (@ICOPCV).
Kidney failure as a cause of swollen feet
The symptoms of this problem are translated into fluid retention, which may have its origin in a kidney problem that causes an «excess of fluids in our body or that our heart does not get to drive the blood well, which makes the kidneys do not do their filtering function «in a correct way.
Another pathology behind a swollen foot is gout disease; which is also related to a damaged kidney. A metabolic ailment which is caused by the aaccumulation of uric acid crystals on the feet, especially in the area of the big toe. The problem in this case comes when that excess can also be a sign that our renal system is not working as it should.
Hormonal changes, biomechanical changes, or trauma
Another cause that our feet and ankles present a greater volume than usual is the hormonal change that women may experience, especially women, in some stages of his life. Menopause, for example, is one of those moments in which the feet may have a different appearance as a result of the hormonal deficit that it brings.
Also, if we have suffered a trauma, such as a sprained ankle, or there has been a biomechanical alteration it is possible that we notice how our feet increase in size considerably.
Sedentary or temperature change
The fact that we spend many hours without hardly moving – for example, a long plane trip – or we carry out a sedentary routine helps our lower extremities end this health problem. Therefore, it is best to spend a few minutes a day giving a walk so that the circulation of our legs get to work in a better way.
In addition, if we add to that being overweight or obese, the chances of our feet swelling are greater. Therefore, the best is a healthy diet and practice some other daily physical activity as we have already mentioned.
A routine that should be more frequent during hotter months since this increase in summer temperatures makes the swelling of the lower extremities more frequent. And is that the vasodilation that produces the heat is the cause that the venous return is more complicated, with which fluid accumulates in the lower areas of your legs.
Tips to avoid swollen feet
Health problems aside, which deserve to be treated in a particular way by a specialist, to prevent our feet from swelling we can follow these series of recommendations:
- Live as active a life as possible, avoiding sedentary lifestyle. Running, walking or a bike ride will help improve blood circulation in this area of the body.
- If you are going to sit for a long time, change posture from time to time. It is also recommended that you get up and stretch your legs by walking a bit.
- When at the end of the day we notice tired and swollen feet, nothing like soaking them in warm salt water or giving them a light massage before going to bed. In this case, the chamomile It can be a great ally thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Prepare an infusion with this plant and give your feet a relaxing bath before going to sleep.
- Put your feet up for about 20 minutes to promote the normal functioning of the blood. In addition, we can move the ankles in circles to stimulate that blood movement throughout this limb.
- Another trick is to catch a tennis ball. Step on it and move it back and forth. Notice how this peculiar massage extends to the entire plant.
- Avoid wearing shoes, socks or pants that tighten too much. The same advice that can be applied in the case of belts.
- Reduce the consumption of salt in our meals and avoid excess coffee or alcohol when you have swollen feet.
