If you are in good health, you can tell by looking at your legs? Reminder: Do not ignore these 6 symptoms in the legs
Uncle Xie is 71 years old this year. He recently went out for a walk and always felt a dull pain in his right calf. He needed to sit down and rest every few dozen meters. Uncle Xie thought it was because he was getting older and suffered from arthritis, so he didn't care.
However, as the walking distance became shorter and shorter, the big toe even appeared bruised and ulcerated , and Uncle Xie and his family panicked.
In the end, Uncle Xie, accompanied by his family, went to the vascular surgery department of the local hospital for treatment. After a detailed examination, it was confirmed that it was a problem of arteriosclerosis obliterans of the right lower extremity. flow problem.
I thought it was a simple arthritis problem, why is it a lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans?
1. People with strong legs may live longer
70% of the activities and energy consumption in a person's life need to be completed by the legs, and the legs are also an important "transportation hub" for the human body, so the health of the legs is very important.
According to research in the United States, the elderly who walk fast have better overall physiological function and live longer.
At the same time, there is a similar study in Japan, which found that people with strong physical strength and fast walking will be more beneficial to the cardiovascular system, the strength of the respiratory muscles is strong, and the fat content in the blood is low, and there are fewer problems of high blood pressure.
Therefore, strong and powerful leg muscles can be seen as one of the signs of longevity .
Xu Daqi, deputy chief physician of the Department of Sports Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, said that a person's good leg strength is actually a comprehensive performance of muscles, bones, balance, flexibility, and cardiopulmonary function. Especially for the elderly, if the leg strength is not trained for a long time, it is easy to lose the leg function . It is recommended to perform leg strength training appropriately.
Second, the legs reflect the systemic disease? Don't take these leg abnormalities seriously
The so-called "people with hard-working legs live longer, and people with strong feet are strong", the legs are actually an important area of human health care, and the health of the legs is also a "magnifying glass" for health. Some subtle changes in the legs are likely to be caused by certain diseases. Signal.
1. Grow "little earthworms"
Leg veins bulge, dilate or bend, and the mass twists into an "earthworm" shape, which is lower extremity varicose veins.
" Earthworm legs " may also be caused by lower extremity deep vein thrombosis syndrome, primary lower extremity deep venous valve insufficiency, arteriovenous fistula and other diseases, which need to be distinguished by clinical examination and imaging examination.
2. Leg cramps while sleeping
Some people may experience leg cramps while sleeping, which is usually a sign of calcium deficiency. However, if the cramping problem is still not resolved after calcium supplementation, it is highly suspected that it is the problem of hyperlipidemia .
When cholesterol levels in the body cannot be metabolized normally, they accumulate in the muscles and cause them to contract, eventually causing cramps, mainly in the forefoot, toes and heels .
3. Leg swelling
If the blood vessel is blocked or the lower vein is blocked, it is easy to affect the blood circulation of the legs, resulting in insufficient blood supply to the lower extremities, causing discomfort such as fever, swelling, and pain in the legs . Usually, the symptoms will be more obvious at night.
4. Leg color change
Put your feet high and at about 45 degrees, and observe whether your legs change color after 2 minutes.
If one leg is pale or waxy, and the skin looks a little translucent, if you put your foot down and return to a normal sitting position, the leg is flushed, which may indicate that the leg has a blocked blood vessel.
5. Numbness in the legs
Momentary numbness in the legs is a temporary paresthesia problem and usually recovers quickly, but if the numbness is long-term or unexplained, it is a sign of disease.
For example, diabetes may cause numbness in the footsteps and a " sock-stepping feeling "; it may also be lower extremity arterial ischemic disease. When walking or going upstairs, moderate to severe patients will feel cramps and pain in the legs and buttocks, which will also accompany Numbness in the legs .
If you experience numbness in your limbs, you should also be alert to the possibility of tumors.
6. Leg pain
The pain in the legs during walking is temporarily relieved after a short rest, but after continuing to walk, the pain in the legs will reappear due to the increased oxygen consumption of the muscles, suggesting ischemic pain in the lower extremities.
In addition, leg pain and weakness may also be caused by cervical spondylosis, lumbar spinal stenosis, lumbar process, central nervous system, and spinal tumor diseases .
3. People's old legs age first, and several behaviors will accelerate the aging of the legs
As the saying goes: "A person grows old first from his legs", and some behaviors in our daily life will accelerate the aging of the legs, such as sitting for a long time, crossing the legs for a long time, not paying attention to the warmth of the legs, and making the legs cold , love to wear high heels and tight pants , these behaviors are not conducive to the health of the legs.
In our daily life, especially when these signs appear, it may indicate that the legs have begun to age:
• Ever slipped or tripped in your home;
• Cannot wear socks normally with one hand;
• There is no way to cross the road smoothly at the time of the green light;
• Need to use crutches or handrails when going up stairs;
• Doing housework feels difficult and requires equipment assistance;
• If you walk continuously for more than 15 minutes, you will feel very tired;
• Walking with a 2kg weight felt very difficult.
Most of the actions of a person's life are completed by the legs, so how can we delay the aging of the legs in our life?
1. Hot foot bath
After soaking your feet in hot water or ginger or chili, it can keep your legs warm, and at the same time help to speed up the blood circulation of the body, relieve the fatigue of the legs, and also improve the quality of sleep . Pay attention to the time of soaking feet for varicose veins patients should not be too long, and diabetic patients Pay attention to the water temperature.
2. Proper leg swing
One arm rests lightly against the wall, while the opposite leg uses the span as the axis of rotation, and gently shakes it. 5 times as a group, then switch to the other leg and repeat the action, three times in the morning, noon and evening.
Such a proper leg swing can help keep the microcirculation smooth , and to a certain extent, it can also reduce blood viscosity.
3. More sun exposure
More sun exposure can promote the formation of vitamin D in the body, reduce the loss of calcium in the legs , and prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis.
4. Too much tiptoe
Stand upright with your feet together, hands naturally hanging on both sides of your thighs, and when you step your feet slowly, your toes firmly grasp the ground. When your body is at the highest level, transfer your weight from your toes to your forefoot, and slowly relax your body.
Finally, drop your heels down and hit the ground lightly, causing gentle vibrations that travel up your legs and up your upper body.
In fact, starting from the age of 20, if we do not actively exercise, we may lose 50% of muscle tissue every ten years, especially as we age, the body will gradually lose calcium. If your legs are uncomfortable, don't judge by yourself. , it is best to go to the hospital for examination and treatment in time.
References:
[1] "Strong legs and longevity, hurry up and practice these sports! ". Central South University Xiangya Hospital. 2021-07-15
[2] "It doesn't hurt or itch, but it can be fatal! When these symptoms appear on your legs, you must be vigilant...". Popular Science China. 2020-08-05
[3] "People age first! These five behaviors are accelerating the aging of your legs". 2019-12-16. CCTV Life Circle
Reproduction is prohibited without the author's permission