Whether it's feeling cramped in your pumps on your way home in the evening or your feet feeling heavy when you wake up in the morning, swollen feet are a concern. Some people may think that this symptom has nothing to do with the season or weather, but in fact it is closely related to the hot summer.
In this article, we will introduce the causes of swelling and effective self-care methods.

What causes swollen legs?

Swelling is a condition in which fluid that would normally be excreted accumulates in the body, and there are many causes for it, ranging from things that will go away on their own to things that are caused by illness.
Here are five main causes:


● Poor circulation

One of the causes of leg swelling is poor circulation in the legs and hips. Standing in a job in particular is one of the factors that can cause poor circulation in the legs and hips, making them more susceptible to swelling.

Seated work also makes you more susceptible to swelling when you maintain the same posture for long periods of time. This is because the blood pumping function of the calf, which is also called the second heart, decreases, causing poor circulation. The lower body in particular is more susceptible to swelling because it pushes blood back to the heart against gravity.

Also, people who are prone to feeling cold are more likely to suffer from swelling because the cold reduces blood circulation.


● Dehydration

Some people refrain from drinking water because they think that drinking too much water will make them swollen. At first glance, this may seem logical, but it's actually upsetting.
 
When the amount of fluid circulating in the body decreases, the body recognizes this as a "critical state of fluid deficiency" and tends to retain more fluid than necessary. Restricting fluid intake can actually cause swelling.
In addition, you will have to maintain your circulatory function with less water, which will lead to poor blood flow. The slower blood flow will lead to poor circulation, which will cause the swelling to worsen.
 
Drinking plenty of fluids is important to prevent swelling in your legs.


● Excessive salt intake

The human body has the ability to maintain the salt concentration of blood at around 0.9%, but if you take in too much salt, your body will send water into the blood to dilute the salt concentration, resulting in excess water in the blood and swelling.
If you consume too much salt on a regular basis, it can lead to high blood pressure.

When eating out or buying ready-made meals from the supermarket, you cannot control the amount of salt you consume, so your intake tends to be high. If you feel like you're eating out a lot, it's time to reassess your diet.


● Lack of exercise and muscle

Weak muscles in the legs, especially the calves, can cause swelling.

As mentioned above, the calf muscles are called the second heart and play a role in returning blood to the heart. The heart is made of strong muscles and has a tough pumping function, but the calf muscles are not that strong. In general, we often hear that women are more prone to swelling than men, but this is thought to be because they have less muscle mass than men.

Regardless of gender, lack of exercise can also lead to a decrease in muscle mass and therefore a decline in pumping function.


● Hormonal imbalance due to menstruation or pregnancy

The secretion of female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone fluctuates with menstruation. Progesterone, which is secreted in greater amounts before menstruation, has the effect of retaining water in the body, making women more likely to become bloated before menstruation. It is highly likely that the secretion of these female hormones is a major factor in why postmenopausal women tend to become bloated on a daily basis.

During pregnancy, swelling becomes even more prevalent due to a variety of factors. The blood flow becomes poorer as the uterus physically grows, and fluids for the baby are stored in the body, making it easier for fluids to accumulate.

How to relieve/improve leg swelling?

Here are some self-care methods that can help relieve swelling in your feet.
If the swelling is temporary, these measures will usually resolve it.
If you experience chronic swelling without any obvious cause, it may be due to an illness. Just in case, we recommend that you consider visiting a doctor.


● Stretch your calves with attention

If you want to reduce this swelling right away, you can expect results from stretching your calves.
Make a conscious effort to move your calf muscles by doing the following light exercises on a daily basis.

• Stomp your feet
• Rotate your ankles while sitting
• Point your toes up, stretch the backs of your knees and your whole body, and then stretch your calves.
• Lie on your back and support your lower back with both hands, then lift your lower body to stretch your calves.


● Improve poor circulation with massage

Massage is also a form of self-care that can improve poor circulation. You can expect even better results if you massage while relaxing in a bathtub. It is also recommended to massage after bathing while applying skin oil or cream.

• Massage from the ankle to the calf
• Gently massage your ankles in circles.
• Apply acupressure to the soles of your feet where it feels good
• Massage the groin area and the back of the knees gently and gently.


● Make sure to drink plenty of water

Lack of water is the enemy of swelling, so make sure to drink plenty of water.

• The recommended fluid intake is 35ml of fluid per kg of body weight.
(For a person weighing 50 kg, it is recommended that you drink a total of 1.75 liters of fluid per day.)
• Drink fluids frequently, not in large quantities, to avoid putting strain on the stomach and heart.
• Instead of waiting until you're thirsty to drink, set a time to drink.


● Incorporate moderate exercise

Weakened muscle strength leads directly to swelling. Start by doing easy, relaxed exercises in your daily life.
Exercise also has various health benefits other than reducing swelling, so have fun and develop a consistent exercise habit.

• Use the stairs instead of escalators or elevators
• If you have a desk job, take a short walk once an hour during your break (use a timer if you tend to concentrate too hard).
• If you work standing up, be aware of "putting your weight on your heels" and "putting your feet forward from your hip joints" when walking.
• Enjoy walking while listening to your favorite music.


● Warm up your body by taking a bath

When the body gets cold, blood flow and lymph flow become poor. Especially in the summer, people tend to just take a shower because it is hot. However, when the body is exposed to air conditioning, it gets cold and is often prone to swelling. If you are concerned about swelling in your legs, we recommend taking a bath.

Below are some effective ways to warm your body and reduce swelling.

• If you feel uncomfortable in a room with strong air conditioning, such as at work or when you are out, use a heating pad to warm up the area around your ankles.
• Avoid cold drinks, even in summer.
• Massage your feet while soaking in the bathtub
• Taking a foot bath instead of a bath can also be effective.


● Reassess your diet

Re-examining your diet is the quickest way to make your body less prone to swelling.
Here we will introduce an easy-to-put-it-into-practice method.

• Potassium, an electrolyte, is found in vegetables, potatoes, beans, seaweed, etc. and helps reduce swelling, so be sure to incorporate it into your diet (potassium dissolves from foods when boiled, so eat it raw or in soup).
• Check nutritional labels to make sure you don't exceed your salt intake limit (try incorporating umami ingredients such as dried shiitake mushrooms or shellfish stock into your home-cooked meals instead of salt).

Recommended acupressure points to quickly relieve leg swelling

If your feet are swollen due to poor lifestyle habits or lack of exercise, pressing acupressure points may help improve the condition.
If you feel like your body is starting to get a little swollen, try stimulating acupressure points to relieve the swelling.

Toyotaka
• Press the bulge on the outside of your shin, exactly halfway between your knee and ankle.
• It works effectively especially when you are concerned about swelling in your calves.
• Use your thumb to slowly press vertically, just enough to sink the skin in.

Ashisanri (3 miles)
• Rub the outside of the shin from below until you reach the bone, then press the depression one finger width away from there toward the pinky finger.
• Use the so-called "painful but pleasant" as a guideline.

Change your lifestyle to get rid of leg swelling immediately

Have you ever had the experience of getting hungry when you stay up late? Humans have the ability to regulate their sleep cycles, body temperature, hormone secretion, and more. However, if your circadian rhythm is disrupted, other functions can also be adversely affected.
By maintaining good lifestyle habits, you can improve your daily rhythm and relieve leg swelling.

• Be aware that poor sleep and dietary habits have a negative impact on your health.
• Be aware that poor diet is directly linked to leg swelling.
• Make it a habit to drink plenty of fluids, limit salt intake, exercise, and keep warm.

summary

There are many different causes for swelling. Sometimes swelling is caused by a combination of several factors.

Adjusting your lifestyle is the first step to improving swelling. If you can get into a habit of self-care, you will likely be less bothered by swelling in your legs.

Article supervision

Director Fumi Yagabe
Miyabi Clinic

After graduating from Nagasaki University School of Medicine, he joined the Department of Plastic Surgery at Nagasaki University.
After gaining experience in the laser outpatient and cosmetic medicine department at the Fukuoka University School of Plastic Surgery,
In 2016, he opened Miyabi Clinic, a plastic surgery and cosmetic dermatology clinic, and serves as its director.

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