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Sitting for long hours or frequently walking in high heels can make you prone to varicose veins. Moreover, obesity or frequent hormonal fluctuations can do the same.
In addition, the symptoms are visible large, swollen and twisted veins under the discolored skin. Usually, varicose veins look like bluish veins and can be painful also. The varicose veins are quite common in women than men. In addition, pregnancy weight makes a woman more prone to varicose veins.
Due to irregular blood supply to the heart, a varicose vein can cause long-term health complications. Fret not! The pain and discomfort of varicose veins can be alleviated with yoga therapy. Yoga proves to be very effective in bringing fast relief to the symptoms of varicose veins. Let’s look at the most effective yoga exercises that help in varicose veins.
Table of Contents
9 Yoga Exercises That Can Help Cure Varicose Veins
1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
Tada- Mountain, Sana- Pose. This is the basic yoga asana from which other asanas emerge. Tadasana is simple yet very effective in bringing relief to varicose veins. You can practice Tadasana at any time of the day. Tadasana asana helps you maintain a proper body posture. While all your muscles work rigorously to maintain tadasana, it releases the stress from your limbs. Your knees, thighs, and ankles become stronger when you regularly practice tadasana. Thus, it alleviates the heaviness in the legs due to varicose veins. In addition to this, tadasana boosts circulation to the veins in the legs and improves balance as well. This asana also regulates the digestive, nervous and respiratory system of the body. Hence, all these benefits make tadasana wonderful for our overall health.
Steps to perform Tadasana-
- Stand erect, place your feet slightly apart with your hands alongside your body
- Firm your thigh muscles but do not harden the lower part of the abdomen
- Strengthen the inner circles of your ankles and feel the energy pass from your feet, coming up to the head
- Look up and breathe
- Hold the pose for a few seconds and then release it
2. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
Ut-Powerful, Tan-To stretch, Asana-posture. In uttanasana, the head is below the heart that boosts the blood circulation in the head instead of the feet. It gives a rush of energizing oxygen to the cells of the brain. Uttanasana also improves blood circulation to the calves and legs. These are the main parts where varicose veins are most likely to develop.
Apart from varicose veins, uttanasana also cures high blood pressure, asthma, infertility, sinusitis, and osteoporosis. Thus, this yoga pose is highly beneficial in improving your health.
Steps to do Uttanasana
- Strand straight and rest your hands on your hips
- Exhale and bend forward from the hips by gently softening your knees
- You must counterbalance the weight of the body
- Let your hands rest on the ground and your chest float over your feet
- Feel the fold and the stretch from your hip bone
- Leave your head to dangle so that the crown touches the ground
- Hold the pose while looking through your legs
- To release, inhale and place your hands on the hips and rise slowly
3. Navasana (Boat Pose)
Nav- Boat, Asana- Pose. In this navasana, both the arms and the legs and the body are fully extended in an acute, boat-like ‘V’. Navasana helps to keep your legs elevated which prevents pooling of blood in the blood vessels, especially in the legs. The pressure reduces instantly and the few seconds of suspension builds strength. This yoga asana helps you to fight the pain of varicose veins. In addition to preventing varicose veins, this also makes the spine, hip flexors, and abdomen stronger.
4. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
Matsya- Fish, Asana- pose. It is considered as one of the best yoga exercises for varicose veins treatment. Matsyasana stretches your feet and legs and helps to get relief from stress and cramps. This yoga asana regulates the blood flow throughout the body and relaxes the legs. Thus, it is very effective in relieving varicose veins. Yoga experts highly recommend matsyasana as it improves overall body posture. Matsyasana also makes the upper back and the back of the neck stronger.
Steps to do Matsyasana
- Start by lying flat on your back
- Make sure your legs are together and your hands are placed comfortably beside your body
- Place your palms under the hips such that the palms are facing the ground
- Cross your legs in such a way that your thighs and knees are placed flat on the floor
- Lift your chest along with your head while breathing in
- Hold the position until you are comfortable only
- Release the position by exhaling and lifting your head first and then dropping your chest to the ground
5. Viparita Karani (Legs Up The Wall)
Viparita- Inverted, Karani- doing. This yoga asana improves the blood circulation throughout the body including the lower region. Hence, viparita karani brings significant relief to the problem of varicose veins. This pose also has anti-aging effects such as preventing wrinkles in old age.
Steps to do Viparita Karani
- Start by exhaling and lying on your back
- Make sure the back of your legs are pressed against the wall and that the sole of the feet faces upwards
- Take support by placing the hips a little away from the hip or pressing them against the wall
- Rest your head or back comfortably by placing the body at a 90-degree angle
- Use your hands to support the hips in such a way that a curve is formed
- Don’t move your head or neck unnecessarily
- Close your eyes and just breath
- Before releasing on any side, make sure to breathe
6. Pawanmukstasana (Wind Relieving Pose)
Pawanamukta- Wind relieving, Asana- pose. This asana relieves excess gas from the intestines and stomach. Pawanmuktasana also helps to release muscle tension in the blood vessels and improves blood circulation. It subsides the swelling and pain that varicose veins cause. In addition to all these, pawanmuktasana also strengthens abdominal muscles and internal organs of the digestive system. Pawanmuktasana aids in burning fat in the thighs, buttocks and abdominal area. It strengthens as well as muscles of the arms and legs.
Steps to do pawanmuktasana
- Lie flat on your back on a smooth surface with your feet together and keeping your hands beside your body
- As you exhale, bring your knees towards your chest
- Press your thighs on the chest
- Clasp your hands around the legs
- Hold the asana while you breathe normally
- Exhale and release the pose after you roll from side to side about three to five times
7. Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand Yoga Pose)
Sar- All, Anga- limbs, Asana- pose. Sarvangasana is an all limb pose. This yoga asana is also known as a shoulder stand as the weight of the body rests on the shoulders. Sarvangasana improves blood circulation throughout the body including the lower region. Thus, it soothes the swelling and throbbing pain of varicose veins. This asana stimulates the glands and abdominal organs thereby improving metabolism and digestion. The hip, as well as legs, are toned. This pose also reduces fatigue and insomnia. Furthermore, sarvangasana cures sinusitis, asthma and infertility.
Steps to do Sarvangasana
- Start by lying flat on your back, keep your legs together and your arms by your side
- Lift your legs, buttocks, back such that your elbows support your lower body and you stand on your shoulders
- Straighten your spine and legs
- Your bodyweight should lie on your shoulders and upper arms
- Firm up your legs and point your toes out
- Release by lowering your knees and bringing your hands to the floor
8. Balasana (Child Pose)
Bala- Child, Asana- pose. Balasana helps to reduce stress and anxiety. This asana helps to massage and flex the internal organs, keeping them active and supple. This asana is also known to promote blood circulation in the entire body. This prevents blood stagnation in varicose veins by regulating it throughout the body. Balasana also calms the mind by encouraging the right way of breathing. Your tendons, muscles, ligaments in the knee relax completely when you practice Balasana.
Steps to do Balasana
- Start by kneeling on the floor
- As you sit on your heels, touch your big toes
- Spread your knees hip-width apart while you inhale
- Bend your torso and lay it between your thighs while you exhale
- Stretch the tailbone away from the back of the baby
- Lift the based of your head slightly away from the back of the neck
- Stretch your arms forward and place them in front of you
- Release the fronts of your shoulder to the floor
- Stay like this as long as you want
- Release by first stretching the front torso while you breathe in
9. Malasana (Garland Pose)
Mala- Garland, Asana- pose. This is one of the simplest poses to cure varicose veins. It’s just a squat. Not only the pose works on your spine, buttocks, hips but also contracts the abdomen enhancing the metabolism of the digestive tract. Malasana improves the posture as well as tones your belly. In addition to all the above benefits, the posture proves to increase the flexibility in your ankles and knees.
Steps to do Malasana
- Begin by standing on the mat
- Spread your thighs wider than your torso
- Start squatting by keeping the feet supported on the ground
- Keep exhaling while you squat such that your torso fits in between your thighs
- Join your hands in a Namaste and press the elbows against the inner thighs
- Keep squatting until your shins fit into the armpits
- Hold the pose for few seconds
- Finish by inhaling and releasing
How does Yoga help to cure Varicose veins?
The walls of our blood vessels usually are comprised of smooth muscles and connective tissues. These blood vessels pump blood and nutrients to all the parts of our body, including the limbs. In the legs, it takes extra effort to push up blood towards the heart as this works against gravity. When these veins become incompetent due to excess pressure, they are unable to pump blood back to the heart. Excess blood starts to pool inside the veins. This pooling of blood causes them to swell, giving rise to varicose veins. In severe cases of varicose veins, the blood can clot form also which can travel from vessels to the brain, causing a stroke.
Yoga alleviates pain that excess pressure on the veins causes. All the above-mentioned poses for varicose veins are usually legged elevation poses. These poses help the accumulated blood to drain into the heart, thereby, easing out the pressure. All in one, the condition can be improved and limb movement is enhanced.
Takeaway
If you practice these yoga exercises diligently for a few weeks, then you may not even have to consider undergoing serious surgery. You will see amazing results if you practice these asanas patiently with commitment. But in some cases, if it’s too late already and you don’t see any positive results, then you must consult a specialist doctor. The modern treatment for varicose veins is the most effective treatment. Laser-based treatment cures varicose veins once and for all options. Pristyn Care offers this treatment of varicose veins. Visit the Pristyn Care Laser Clinic to know more about this varicose veins advanced treatment option.
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