STANDING
ON THE
JOB
These jobs often take a physical toll,
especially on the legs and feet, but legs
aren’t supposed to hurt, even at the end of
a long workday. One reason for discomfort
in the lower extremities is poor circulation.
Let’s review what that means. The major
parts of the cardiovascular system are the
heart, arteries and veins. The heart pumps
blood to the arteries, which take the
oxygenated blood to all parts of the body.
Healthy veins carry deoxygenated blood
back up to the heart, the “muscle pumps”
in our feet and calves helping the blood to
travel against gravity.
If you are standing on your feet all day,
your circulatory system isn’t working as
efficiently as it should. And if you have
venous (vein) issues, the problem can be
exacerbated.
In leg veins, there are valves that open to
allow the blood to flow one way: up. If the
valves in the veins become damaged, some
"If the valves in the veins
become damaged, some
blood will flow back into
the legs or feet and “pool”
there resulting in a feeling of
heaviness, leg pain, varicose
veins, or other symptoms."
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Pedorthic Footcare Association www.pedorthics.org
blood will flow back into the legs or feet
and “pool” there resulting in a feeling of
heaviness, leg pain, varicose veins, or other
symptoms. This is sometimes referred to as
venous reflux.
RECOGNIZING THE SYMPTOMS
Karen Bragdon, 53, is a Physical Therapist
and Orthopedic Certified Specialist at York
Hospital in Wells, Maine. Her tasks vary
depending on her caseload, but on average
she’s on her feet 80% of the day.
At first Bragdon noticed “very unsightly
bulging veins” in her legs, behind the
knees and at the ankles. But there were
other symptoms showing up that she did
not realize were warning signs of venous
disease. By the end of the workday her
feet and legs would be extremely tired
and, many times, swollen. She also began
having leg cramps at night. A runner, she
NORMAL VEIN
VARICOSE VEIN