“The high temperatures cause the blood vessels to dilate, losing elasticity and in some cases making it difficult for the liquids in the legs to move correctly through the body,” Leandro Palomo, responsible for Health and Safety, at TK Home Solutions, explains to EFE ( TKHS).
“Sometimes, the liquid accumulates in the tissues around the blood vessels, without the lymphatic system being able to remove it before it accumulates. As a result, the extremities swell and the person feels heavy and uncomfortable and sometimes they even hurt”, according to Palomo.
Staying well hydrated, avoiding being outdoors in the hottest hours, eating a balanced diet, wearing compression stockings, staying active, changing your body posture, resting with your legs up and receiving massages are key measures to prevent peripheral edema, according to TKHS.
The abnormal accumulation of fluids that become trapped in the tissues can cause swelling, a disorder known as edema. Although this problem can affect any part of the body, it usually occurs more frequently in the lower extremities, due to the effect of the force of gravity.
When fluid buildup and swelling affect the ankles, feet, legs, and sometimes the calves and even thighs, it’s called peripheral edema, according to the US National Library of Medicine (Medline Plus).
Likewise, the appearance of this problem can be influenced by alterations in the vasodilation of the arterioles (small arteries) and the permeability of the blood capillaries (vessels that connect the arterioles with the venules or small veins), among other mechanisms, according to the Andalusian Society of Family and Community Medicine (SAMFyC), in Spain.
One of the main reasons why the peripheral edema is heatpoint out from the Health and Safety area of TK Home Solutions, TKHS, (https://homesolutions.tkelevator.com/es-es), a firm specialized in technological solutions for people with mobility problems.
TKHS experts point out that, in addition to heat, there may be other reasons why we are feet swell And the legswhich are aggravated due to high temperatures.
Staying in the same position for a long time Without movingeating foods with a lot of salt, suffering from diabetes or a kidney, heart or lymphatic system-related ailment, as well as the hormonal changes experienced by women during pregnancy, menopause or menstruation, favor the appearance or worsening of peripheral edema, they point out
The first step that TKHS recommends for people who are prone to swollen legs and feet is to know the reason why peripheral edema appears, for which they should go to the doctor, who will assess whether it is due to any disease or problem to watch out for, they point out.
They also propose a series of preventive measures aimed at preventing this problem from affecting us or worsening, if we already suffer from it, in hot seasons:.
1. Stay well hydrated
It is important to drink water without waiting to feel thirsty. If the body doesn’t have enough fluids, it causes a drop in blood pressure, which translates into poorer circulation, according to TKHS.
2. Avoid the hottest hours
Staying outdoors during the hottest hours of the day, around the time the sun is highest in the sky, is discouraged.
3. eat a balanced diet
Excess salt and other foods that contribute to fluid retention, such as alcoholic beverages or coffee, should be left out of the diet.
4. Wear compression stockings
These garments help improve circulation in the legs by gently squeezing them to force blood back toward the heart.
5. Stay active
Between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity per week is recommended, even for those with a disability or chronic illness (in this case, under medical supervision).
6. Change posture
Those who remain in the same position for a long time (for example, working standing or sitting), should move the joints and muscles of the legs regularly, being enough to walk a little, every thirty minutes or an hour.
7. Rest with your legs up
Resting your legs and keeping them slightly elevated for 15 to 20 minutes is helpful. Those who work sitting down can use a footrest that allows them to be raised a little.
8. Give yourself a massage
In addition to being pleasant, massages with creams or other moisturizing products that give freshness will help deflate the affected area and boost circulation, being especially recommended for people with mobility problems.