Having swollen feet is never very pleasant… Whether it’s a circulatory weakness or an overly sedentary lifestyle, find out why you have swollen feet and our 7 tips to relieve them!
Why do we have swollen feet?
Do you regularly have swollen feet without really understanding why? It is often a small problem with blood circulation or water retention.
Swollen feet mainly affect people who are sedentary or who walk all day, as is often the case for people who work in commerce, catering, or even in the hospital environment.
If you see that the swelling only occurs on one side and also goes up the calf in the form of edema, it may be a symptom of phlebitis.
This blood clot that forms in a vein, also called venous thrombosis, is often triggered following a prolonged period of immobilization such as after a long car or plane trip or on bed rest.
In this case, we urge you to speak to your doctor in order to perform a Doppler and treat phlebitis. If you have both feet that swell, particularly at the end of the day, know that there are multiple tips to ease you…
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Tip #1: Test the Scottish shower
The cold stimulates blood circulation. This is why a jet of cold water on your legs and feet at the end of your daily shower can reactivate blood circulation in the lower limbs and thus help you relieve your swollen feet.
If you have the courage to take a cold shower every day, even better, otherwise just end your shower with a jet of cold water with good pressure, on your legs and feet. Alternating cold water/hot water is also very effective.
To do this, pass your legs under a jet of cold water for 1 minute then under a jet of hot water for 2 to 3 minutes, and repeat for about twenty minutes.
Tip #2: Practice regular physical activity
Whether you spend your days sitting in the office or stomping around in the store, walking can help ease your swollen feet. Consider walking briskly to work, going for a walk every evening with your pet, or spending your lunch break walking around your neighborhood instead of sitting in the break room.
Walking has the effect of stimulating blood and lymphatic circulation, which is often the cause of swollen feet, whether due to poor blood circulation or water retention.
Tip #3: Wear compression stockings or socks
If compression stockings and socks often remind us of an unglamorous grandmother’s trick, the choice in this area has evolved a lot in recent years! Discreet black tights, fancy socks, or flesh-colored stockings… No more unattractive whitish granny stockings.
Widely used by members of the medical profession who trample all day, compression stockings and socks are a particularly effective solution for relieving swollen feet.
They should be put on preferably in the morning, keeping your legs in the air. If you have a long plane or car trip planned, think about it!
Tip #4: Practice dry brushing
Increasingly popular, dry brushing has many benefits. First of all, it will stimulate blood and lymphatic circulation, often the cause of swollen feet. Employing a soft brush, just before your daily shower, make large circular movements from the bottom of the leg in the direction of the heart.
Go over the same spot several times to stimulate the circulation of both lymph and blood in your lower limbs.
Tip #5: Do a cider vinegar foot bath
Particularly rich in potassium, cider vinegar cures many ailments. It helps in particular to relieve swollen feet, but also ankles and legs. According to some studies, a lack of potassium could result in swelling of the lower limbs.
Indeed, this essential mineral has the ability to regulate the amount of water present in our cells and therefore, limit the phenomenon of water retention, which can push your feet and legs to swell. In a basin, mix equal amounts of cold water and apple cider vinegar and soak your feet for at least 30 minutes.
Tip #6: Play with a tennis ball
If you have a sedentary job and spend long hours sitting, feel free to pack a tennis ball or two to slip into a drawer on your desk. When you feel your legs get heavy or your feet swell, take off your shoes and use the ball to massage the bottoms of your feet, rolling it on the floor.
This method has the advantage of being easy to practice in the office, without affecting your productivity. The contact of the ball with your sole will stimulate your lymphatic and blood circulation.
Tip #7: Apply Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint has an invigorating and refreshing power that can work wonders to revive and stimulate blood circulation. Consider mixing a few drops of peppermint essential oil into your moisturizing body cream or milk before massaging your feet and legs.
You will feel an instant lightness and it will help relieve your swollen feet.
Photo: Pexels/ Anete Lusina
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