Peripheral arterial disease of the legs
Peripheral arterial disease - a chronic disease that occurs as a result of the narrowing and blocking arteries supplying blood, oxygen enriched, legs, abdomen, pelvis, arms and neck. Cause of the disease is the accumulation of excess cholesterol, calcium and other substances (plaques) on the inner walls of arteries, especially those that supply the legs. In peripheral arterial disease, arteries narrow, reducing blood flow to different parts of the body. When the artery is narrowed to the foot, leg muscles are not sufficiently supplied with blood, especially during physical activity. When the muscles are able to rest, blood supply may be normal. The main symptom of peripheral arterial disease leg - a severe, constricting pain in the calf, foot or buttocks during exercise (such as lifting up the stairs or a hill, running or just walking). This pain is called intermittent claudication. Typically it can be felt during exercise, but she goes on holiday. When the condition worsens, pain in the leg can occur with minimal activity or even during the holidays. Other symptoms of peripheral arterial disease following legs:
- Weakness in the legs and loss of balance in a standing position;
- Cold and numb feet or toes;
- Wounds that are slow to heal. Causes of peripheral arterial disease is smoking, eating foods that are high in fat, sedentary lifestyle.
Medical gymnastics
Exercise - this is the initial phase of treatment of intermittent claudication. As an exercise recommended for normal walking within 1-2 hours, 3-4 times a week for 5-6 months.
Need to walk up until you see intermittent claudication, usually within 2-4 minutes. Further, should continue walking until the until the patient can still tolerate the pain, usually this time is 8-10 minutes. After this you should stop and rest until the pain is not fully take place, and then continue walking.
In addition to walking, is recommended to perform other exercises that help maintain body tone. The exercises in this complex designed to maintain a certain level of muscle strength, as well as the fact that increased blood flow through the vessels.
Starting position: lying on his back. Run alternately bending the legs at the knees, with an emphasis stop at the floor. Bend the leg, clutching his knee hands, pressed it to his stomach. Do the exercise with both feet alternately. Bend your knees, hands clasp the knee joints. Run alternately straightening legs at the knees with simulated cycling. You can help your hands. Should alternate periods of walking and rest, gradually increasing the period of walking without pain from 30 minutes to 50.
Thus trained vessels and muscle tissue, as well as in the muscles of the lower limbs, new blood vessels - so-called collaterals. Flatten with your feet together, put your hands at your sides.
Flexion and extension of leg at the ankle joints at first together, then alternately. Starting position: sitting on a chair. Flatten with your feet together. Bend the left leg in the hip joint, clasping his hands and leg pulling knee toward your chest. At the same time to straighten his right leg at the knee. Then change the position of the feet. Left arm to put on his right knee.
Perform a circular motion foot left foot right, then left. After you do the same with his right foot. The fingertips of his left leg to right leg up to the knee, then your fingertips right foot to repeat this same exercise on the left shin. Try to do the same with his heels, while sitting upright. Exercise meet 2-3 times each leg. The number of repetitions of each exercise will depend on the complexity of the disease.
Starting position: standing at the back of the chair. Flatten with your feet together. Perform squats, leaning back in his chair. Perform squats on one leg with straight and extended forward with the other leg. Occupy the position of the main stand and walk around a normal pace.
