Swelling of the legs - a condition in which there is an excessive accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the lower extremities, most often in the legs and feet. Their volume increases, which causes discomfort and pain. In a healthy person, edema occurs when wearing uncomfortable, narrow shoes, prolonged standing, overheating of the body, drinking excessive amounts of salt.
In women, another reason is pregnancy, which significantly increases the load on the limbs. Also, while waiting for the birth of a baby, the kidneys of the expectant mother begin to work in extreme mode, which provokes the appearance of severe edema. This is especially noticeable in the last months of pregnancy.
Fluid retention in the legs also occurs with heart or kidney failure, vascular diseases of the limbs, problems with the lymphatic system, inflammatory lesions of the skin, neoplasms and some other ailments. Therefore, with frequent, difficult swelling, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination. It is likely that a specialist will recommend massage for leg swelling.
Advantages and contraindications
Massage is actively used in the treatment of leg swelling. The session reduces stagnation in the tissues, normalizes the flow of blood and lymph in the vessels, improves the general condition and eliminates unpleasant symptoms. Great preventive value of massage. It strengthens the walls of blood vessels, preventing the development of varicose veins - one of the main causes of edema.
There are also contraindications. These include:
- feverish conditions;
- low blood coagulability (in this case, there is a chance to get the approval of a chiropractor after passing the appropriate tests and consulting a doctor);
- diseases of the cardiovascular system (only during exacerbation);
- skin lesions in the area of edema;
- surgical interventions in the veins (after surgery, at least six months must pass, and in some cases a year or more);
- thrombosis;
- atherosclerosis of blood vessels;
- malignant and benign tumors;
- menstruation and pregnancy (in some cases is not an absolute contraindication);
- lower limb injuries (until they are completely healed);
- mental illness (due to the possibility of inadequate patient behavior during the procedure).
In old age, massage for leg swelling is allowed. This is not a contraindication or interference.
Classic massage
There are several types of manual exposure used to treat and prevent leg edema. The most common include: classic, lymphatic drainage, reflex. Only a doctor can determine which option is suitable for a particular patient.
The procedure is best entrusted to a professional. Massage is best done in courses. To achieve sustainable results, 10-12 sessions are repeated, repeated from 2 to 4 times a year.
During a classic massage, the therapeutic effect is on the skin, muscles, body fat, nerve endings, blood and lymphatic systems. There is a relaxation of the leg muscles, which helps to reduce edema. Spasmodic phenomena in blood and lymph vessels also disappear. The circulation of the fluid improves, which leads to its outflow and the disappearance of edema. In this case, the patient does not experience unpleasant pain.
How to massage with swelling of the legs?
One limb is kneading, then another. The main direction of massaging movements is from the feet to the knees. During the session, the intensity of the effect gradually increases, however, they should not cause pain.
All four basic techniques of classical massage are applied. The first is stroking, necessary for muscle relaxation. Particular attention is paid to the feet due to the abundance of reflex zones located there. Stroking is done with the palms and pads of the fingers without pressure. As a result, the muscles relax, prepare for further more intense exposure. Massage for swelling of the leg below the knee should begin with the thigh. Smoothly and gradually the arms move towards the lower leg.
Second and third stage
Then intensive rubbing is carried out, warming the skin in the massage zone. Blood circulation and lymph flow in the surrounding tissues are also accelerated. Several techniques are used: rubbing with rectilinear movements of the hands, circular, spiral. The general direction continues to be maintained from the feet to the knees. At this stage, the skin in the places of exposure turns pink, there is a slight tingling and pleasant itching.
Massage with severe swelling of the legs is characterized by smoother grindings performed by rectilinear movements.
The next stage is the intensive kneading of the muscles of the problem area. This is the most complex and crucial element of classic massage. The overall result largely depends on its quality. Various methods of exposure are used: kneading with knuckles, gripping a muscle with two hands and twisting it and the like. After the session, there is a feeling of pleasant warmth and tingling in the muscles. The heaviness in the legs and discomfort, if they were previously, disappear.
In conclusion, a slight vibrational effect is carried out with the fingertips of the fingers, soothing and relaxing massage area. The total procedure time is 10-15 minutes on each leg.
Lymphatic drainage
Designed to eliminate stagnation in the vessels. During the session, the massage therapist is focused on maximizing the effect on the lymphatic system without affecting the surrounding tissue. This leads to an acceleration of the movement of fluid through the vessels. The metabolic processes in the muscles improve. Toxins and excess fluid are removed from them and, as a result, puffiness decreases.
Lymphatic drainage massage from swelling of the legs can be performed in two versions: superficial and deep. In the first embodiment, the effect is on the capillaries and neuroreceptors of the upper layer of the skin. The main techniques are light circular stroking movements of the hands with simultaneous pressure on the areas of passage of the lymphatic vessels. The impact is gradually transferred from the feet to the knees. The procedure is carried out for a sufficiently long time (20-30 minutes on each leg). As a result, spasmodic phenomena in the lymphatic vessels are eliminated, fluid movement through them is normalized. Due to this, the surrounding tissues get rid of excess moisture.
Deep technique
With prolonged swelling of the legs, a more thorough and intensive lymphatic drainage massage is performed. The technique remains the same: circular movements of the hands and pressure in the areas of projections of the lymphatic currents. However, the pressure is increased to affect the deeply located large vessels and nodes. During the procedure, the blood flow to the massaged area increases, the tone increases. Excess fluid accumulated in the intercellular space begins to move intensively with the lymph, which leads to a decrease in edema. Deep lymphatic drainage massage requires a good knowledge of anatomy in order to accurately influence the necessary parts of the system.
Pressotherapy, vacuum and microcurrents
In recent years, hardware lymphatic drainage massage has gained great popularity. Several varieties of it are known: pressure therapy, vacuum, endermology, microcurrents. The procedures are carried out using special devices that act on the necessary parts of the body with compressed air, small currents, or a combination thereof. The purpose of the massage is the same - to relieve congestion in the lymphatic system and accelerate the withdrawal of accumulated fluid. Hardware lymphatic drainage procedures are comfortable for patients, as they are completely painless. The result is noticeable after 1-2 sessions. Before undergoing a course of hardware massage, a doctor’s consultation is also required.
Reflex effect
It includes segmental, Chinese acupressure, Japanese shiatsu massage, Korean su-jok and several others. Exposure is limited to small areas of the body connected by nerve paths to the internal organs and systems of a person. For example, fragments in segmental, biologically active areas in acupressure with swelling of the legs, shiatsu and su-jok. Such zones are called reflex zones. Such a massage normalizes the work of organs affected by diseases or injured, contributes to their cure.
Segmental and point
Different exposure techniques are used. For segmental methods of classical massage are characteristic: stroking, rubbing, kneading and vibration. With a point, biologically active points are crushed with pads and knuckles (shiatsu), needles (acupuncture) are inserted into them, they are exposed to the heat of lighted wormwood sticks (su-jok).
Reflexology massage is a powerful therapeutic agent. Only after the establishment of the disease that causes the swelling of the legs, it can be used in the treatment of the disease. Massage is carried out by qualified specialists. It is necessary to take into account individual intolerance to the procedure and possible contraindications.