On a road trip, stop frequently to walk and stretch your legs. Foot Pumps Starting with both feet flat on the floor, raise your toes toward you. Hold for a count of three, then lower them back down. Next, raise your heels off the floor, hold for a count of three, then lower them back down. Ankle Circles Raise both feet off the floor and trace circles with your toes for a count of three.
Leg Raises If you have room in front of you, slowly raise your left foot off the floor until it's parallel with your knee, then lower it back down to the floor. Repeat with your right leg. If space is cramped say on an airplane , lift your left knee up to your chest, then bring your foot back to the floor; repeat with your right leg. Simply raise your shoulders and circle them forward, up, back, and down, then reverse the direction. Foot Pumps These are similar to foot pumps done in a chair, just done lying down.
Starting on your back with your legs straight and heels on the bed, flex your feet and stretch your toes toward your head; hold for a count of three. Next, point your toes away from your head and hold for a count of three. Blood clots are a serious issue, as they can be life threatening. Symptoms of blood clots can vary.
A blood clot that shows up in one of the major veins in your body is called deep vein thrombosis DVT. This leads to a serious and potentially fatal condition known as pulmonary embolism. These symptoms are especially indicative of a blood clot when they occur in only one leg.
There are some other conditions and factors that could explain these symptoms, however. To help distinguish a potential blood clot from other causes, Thomas Maldonado, MD, vascular surgeon and medical director of the Venous Thromboembolic Center at NYU Langone Medical Center, offered some more detailed thoughts on what someone might feel if they have a blood clot.
For one, the pain might remind you of a severe muscle cramp or charley horse. If icing or putting your feet up makes the swelling go down, you may have a muscle injury. With a blood clot, your leg may also feel warm as the clot worsens.
You may even notice a slight reddish or bluish hue to your skin. Blood clots can also form in veins that are closer to the skin, known as superficial venous thrombosis, and cause a syndrome called superficial thrombophlebitis. These can be caused by injury to the skin, including having an intravenous IV line placed, or other risk factors similar to those causing a DVT. Your doctor will examine you and may use an ultrasound to differentiate between a superficial blood clot and a DVT.
Blood clots may be more common in the lower legs, but they can happen in other parts of your body, too. Where clots form and where they end up influence which symptoms you have and the consequences. For example, when a blood clot forms in the arteries of the heart and blocks blood flow, it can cause a heart attack.
Or, a blood clot could travel to your lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. Both can be life threatening and have similar symptoms. Deep vein thrombosis DVT is a blood clot. These clots usually occur deep down in your leg veins. DVT is common and can be dangerous. If the blood clot breaks off and travels through your bloodstream, it can block a blood vessel in your lungs. This blockage called a pulmonary embolism can be fatal.
Some people who have DVT do not have any symptoms. Most have some swelling in one or both legs. Often, there is pain or tenderness in one leg may happen only when you stand or walk. Your skin may feel warm or look red or discolored. If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor right away. Often, there are multiple factors that cause DVT.
Your risk for DVT increases if you have several risk factors at the same time. You are at higher risk for DVT if you:. Visit your doctor if you think you might have DVT.
They will review your symptoms and health history and do a physical exam. They may order tests to help diagnose it. An ultrasound is the most common test. It uses sound waves to check the blood flow in your veins. A venography also can be done to find blood clots. A doctor injects dye into your veins and then takes an X-ray to check your blood flow.
There are several things you can do to help prevent DVT. These are more important if you are at increased risk. Several medicines are used to treat and prevent DVT. Common ones include warfarin or heparin. Warfarin is taken as a pill and heparin is given intravenously in your veins. Warfarin can cause birth defects. Women who are pregnant should not take warfarin.
Newer treatment programs recommend NOACs novel oral anticoagulants as preferable medicines in most settings. Brand names include Eliquis, Pradaxa, and Xarelto. You want to warm-up first by walking slowly for 5 minutes, then increase your activity each week as follows:. Week 1 — Walk for 5 minutes at a comfortable pace, times per day Week 2 — Walk for 10 minutes, 3 times per day Week 3 — Walk for 15 minutes 2 times per day Week 4 — Walk for 30 minutes, once daily. Strength training is also an important part of maintaining your overall health.
It is safe to return to your routine if you already have a strength training program. If you want to begin weight training, and have never used weights before, it is recommended that you seek professional advice.
Ask your primary care physician for a referral to a professional who can create an individualized strength training program for you. Exercise is an important part of a heart-healthy lifestyle, and can not only help prevent another DVT or PE, but also a variety of other thrombotic diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
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