Heavy legs in summer

Do your legs feel heavy, tired and achy in summer? If they do, you’re not alone.

Heavy legs are common in hot weather, especially in women. But this unpleasant sensation can be linked to other health conditions too.

We explain why legs feel heavy in summer, what it means for your health and how you can relieve your symptoms.

What causes heavy legs in summer? 

The heaviness we feel in the summer months - sometimes accompanied by aches and swelling - is caused by blood pooling in the legs.

The average human body contains five litres of blood, making up around 10% of our total body weight - so when blood collects in our legs, we feel as though we’re dragging heavy weights around.

Blood pools in hot weather due to a process called vasodilation. In high temperatures, veins dilate, or expand, to help us cool down. This dilation means your body must fight gravity harder in order to circulate blood back up to the heart. This can result in blood pooling in the lower legs - especially if we sit or stand in one place for too long.

Dehydration can also contribute to heavy legs in summer. When it’s hot, we risk losing more water than we replace - this can result in blood becoming more viscous, or sticky, again making it harder to circulate.

Can varicose veins cause heavy legs? 

Heavy legs caused by summer heat can be uncomfortable and stop you getting out and enjoying life, but they’ll usually improve when you cool down.

Blood pooling in the legs over a long period of time, however, can be the result of a chronic condition that causes heavy, aching legs whatever the weather.

Inside our veins are tiny one-way valves that open to let blood through, then close to prevent it from flowing backwards. With the help of contractions in surrounding muscles, blood is circulated back to the heart and lungs.

Over time, the walls of the veins can stretch and lose their elasticity, causing the valves to weaken and blood to leak backwards and collect in the veins - a condition known as venous insufficiency.

In time, the damaged veins can take on the bumpy, knotted appearance of varicose veins, a condition estimated to affect 20% of all adults at some point in their lives¹.

Varicose veins are more common in women than in men, as research suggests that female hormones relax the vein walls, making the valves more prone to leaking².

Varicose veins could partly be caused by your genes, as the risk increases if a close family member has the condition. Other risk factors include aging, being overweight, or having a job that involves long periods of standing.

Chronic Venous insufficiency (CVI) and varicose veins often don’t require treatment but seek medical advice if they are causing pain or become sore and irritated.

Serious causes of heavy legs

Some causes of tired and heavy legs could be a sign of underlying conditions, requiring medical attention. These include:

• Lumbar spinal stenosis
  This is a narrowing of the spinal column, which causes the vertebrae and discs to pinch the spinal column, causing pain, weakness, or heaviness in the legs. Seek medical attention if you experience any numbness, or difficulty urinating or passing a bowel motion.

• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
  This is when a clot develops in a vein deep in the leg, causing it to become swollen and painful. Seek urgent medical attention if you experience pain and swelling in one leg (rarely two), reddened skin and swollen veins that are sore to touch, shortness of breath, chest pain, or coughing blood. If you experience any signs of DVT, please refrain from using Revitive and consult your doctor as soon as possible*.
• Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
  PAD is a form of cardiovascular disease that occurs when fatty deposits narrow the walls of the arteries. Without enough blood circulating, legs can feel tired and heavy. Seek medical attention if your heavy legs are accompanied by pain during activity that stops when you rest. Also if you experience hair loss, discolored or shiny skin, or ulcers that do not heal on your legs and feet.

How else can I alleviate heavy legs in summer?

If summer heat is causing heavy legs, there are many ways you can help your symptoms, including:

• Drink plenty of water
  Try to drink several glasses of water a day to help prevent dehydration - this allows the blood to circulate better, preventing heavy legs. Herbal teas are a good alternative if you can’t face yet another glass of plain water!

• Walking
  Movement is key to alleviating heavy legs in summer. A daily brisk walk contracts the muscles that help your veins circulate blood so it doesn’t sit uncomfortably in your lower leg.

• Elevate your legs
  This is all about using gravity to help circulate blood back to your heart and lungs. Elevating your legs above the level of your heart several times a day means that gravity is now working in your favor, improving blood flow in the veins in your legs.