How to quickly relieve swelling in legs and arms? 3 easy but effective exercises

How to quickly relieve swelling in legs and arms? 3 easy but effective exercises

And tips to reduce the risk of the problem.

Dean of the Faculty of Sports Industry at Synergy University, international hatha yoga instructor

“Most often swellings are noticed in the feet. Shoes fit tightly, or it is impossible to put them on at all. In fact, swelling can occur anywhere and for many different reasons – as a result of a high salt diet, hot weather, pregnancy, taking certain medications, lymph node damage or serious heart or liver disease.”

The pressure of excess fluid causes discomfort and fatigue. Yoga can greatly alleviate swelling by stimulating blood flow and fluid drainage from the arms and lower body. Poses that elevate the arms or legs above the heart are effective. They will reduce fluid accumulation in the extremities.

Here are the most effective exercises to reduce edema.

Legs on the wall

The simplest and most effective way to fight swelling in the lower body is to put your feet on the wall.

How to perform:

• Place a yoga mat perpendicular to the wall;
• lie on your side with your buttocks against the wall surface;
• roll over onto your back and lift your legs, pulling your buttocks as close to the wall as possible. You can place a yoga bolster or a folded blanket under your pelvis.
• Stay in the pose for 10 minutes.

Mountain pose (tadasana)

If you have swelling in your fingers and hands, mountain pose with your arms stretched upward may help. Raising your arms above your head allows accumulated fluid to drain from your fingers. This pose also revitalizes and tones the spine, promotes good posture, and trains concentration.

How to perform:

• Stand with your feet so that the big toes touch and the outer edges of the feet are parallel to each other;
• distribute the weight over the entire surface of the foot, tighten the kneecaps, retract the tailbone, tighten the abdomen, stretch the spine to the top of the head;
• with an inhalation, stretch your arms above your head as if you are trying to touch the ceiling, with your shoulders down, breathe evenly and calmly for 5-10 cycles.

Shoulderstand (sarvangasana)

The full version of shoulderstand is usually reserved for more experienced yogis, as it puts the neck and shoulders in a potentially compressive position. We suggest a gentler version. But it too has contraindications: critical days, runny nose, neck injuries, hypertension, severe headache, full stomach, thyroid hyperfunction, recent eye surgery, retinal detachment.

The pose promotes fluid drainage from the legs, ankles and feet.

How to perform:

• Lie on your back, legs together, arms along your body with palms down;
• take a full breath, with an exhalation pull the bent legs to the body and lift the pelvis off the mat, placing the palms of your hands on your back with fingers up, shoulders on the mat;
• smoothly straighten your legs up to vertical, engaging the abs and stabilizer muscles of the body, try to align your legs, buttocks, back; chest pressed to the chin; body weight on the shoulders. If you feel discomfort in your neck, move your hands to your lower back;
• stay in this position for two minutes; breathe evenly and calmly, eyes can be closed;
• to exit asana, lower your legs behind your head and slowly, vertebra by vertebra, return your back to the mat first, and then, controlling your abs, lower your straight legs slowly; if your abs and lower back are weak, bend your legs at the knees, lower your feet to the floor and one by one straighten your legs on the mat. It is important not to come out of asana abruptly, throwing your back and legs.

Other means of preventing and reducing edema

In addition to these yoga poses, we recommend the Surya Namaskar complex. “Sun Salutation” can help activate your lymphatic system and improve circulation throughout your body.

Consider reducing salty foods in your diet and eating more succulent foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, oranges, etc.). Many people reduce their water intake – this is a mistake, you need to drink enough fluids. Most often it is the lack of water that provokes the formation of edema – when your body receives an insufficient amount of water, it begins to store water in its cells, resulting in swelling.

Add any cardio exercise on a regular basis such as walking, cycling, skiing, dancing, swimming – whatever you enjoy. This will help reduce swelling.