Physical activity is essential for a healthy life and avoiding disease; in fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends doing a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week to avoid developing health problems or aggravating some existing ones. Moderate physical activity combined with a good diet and the elimination of alcohol and tobacco will help improve muscle and cardiorespiratory system, and bone health.
In the case of suffering from venous thrombosis – blood clots that interrupt normal blood flow – the simplest and most effective activity is to walk, an act that does not involve much effort and is within everyone’s reach. If a venous thromboembolic disease has been suffered, it is advisable to do this exercise without forcing and stopping if discomfort or tiredness appear, as indicated by the Foundation for the Study of Thrombosis.
Symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis
Symptoms of this disease are swelling in the affected leg (rarely appears on both legs), pain in the leg that usually begins in the calf like a cramp or swelling, redness, or discoloration of the leg, or a feeling of heat in it.
If you show any of these symptoms, it is important to go to the doctor to avoid complications, as the clot may detach and move through the bloodstream and cause a serious problem in the lungs known as pulmonary embolism, a heart attack, or a stroke.
In addition to walking, there are specific exercises to prevent the onset or worsening of blood clots that are easy to do at home and, if done frequently, help improve blood circulation.
Exercises to prevent thrombi that can be done at home
– Sit in a chair with your knees at 90 degrees and separate and put your toes together several times.
– Also, in the chair, perform lateral leg movements, raising them to the same height. In this position, move both feet simultaneously or separately forward and backward (simulating pressing an accelerator pedal), alternating legs. Also, move your feet clockwise and counterclockwise.
– Lying on a mat or the bed and pedaling face up in the air. Another option is to flex and extend the toes with your legs raised and stretched.
– Place a pillow or ball between your legs, then exert a slight pressure for about six seconds with both legs turned inward.
– Bring one leg to the chest, holding it with your hands and keeping the knee bent while the other remains stretched on the floor. You can do several repetitions of about 30 seconds each.
– Stand up straight. Then, rise on your toes and slowly lower yourself, repeating this movement several times.