| Have you been on a long flight? | | | | The calf muscle pump forces depleted blood used |
| Many travellers have and when they arrived at their | | | | blood against gravity up the legs back to the body |
| destination the chances are they were sore, stiff and | | | | where it is re-nourished with oxygen for recycling it is |
| their ankles were swollen and feet barely fitting into | | | | sent back out again to various parts of the body |
| the shoes-this is a problem because if you are visiting | | | | through the arteries. |
| somewhere and you are on a limited time schedule | | | | The calf muscles provide power for this pump-but |
| the last thing you need is to be walking stiffly in | | | | they only work if they are used |
| shoes that do not fit because of swollen feet. | | | | To keep the circulation in balance in the legs, the |
| Ill fitting shoes can rub the feet causing blisters which | | | | same volume of blood should come out of the legs |
| if they are not treated can cause infection and take | | | | as goes into them-if the calf muscles are not working |
| a long time to heal as the supply of fresh blood to | | | | the pump becomes inefficient and nothing moves. |
| the blister site is reduced. | | | | Problems caused by calf muscle pump inefficiency |
| Why do the legs and ankles swell on long flights? | | | | include: |
| The basics of swollen ankles | | | | Poor circulation |
| The veins are blood vessels that take used blood | | | | Lymph system inactivity |
| back towards the heart-they have one-way valves in | | | | Venous return reduced |
| them so the blood can't flow back the way it came. | | | | First aid is needed for leg muscles |
| Swollen ankles | | | | The faster the legs receive help, the faster they |
| When used depleted blood reaches the ankles and | | | | recover but it is important they get it as soon as |
| just sits there stagnating ; lymph fluid starts to | | | | possible before soreness and stiffness limits what can |
| separate from the used blood into the tissues | | | | be done with them. |
| spaces; as it can't be pumped up the legs back to | | | | There are ways to give the legs first aid-Recovery |
| the body the ankles swell. | | | | takes different forms |
| Gravity and the weight of blood in the body | | | | Passive and Active |
| Water is subject to pressure-the deeper it is the | | | | Passive Recovery for legs |
| more pressure there is at the bottom; for instance | | | | This means letting the legs have their own way and |
| on the surface of the water the swimmer feels | | | | letting them fix themselves up-lying on the back with |
| none, but the deeper he goes the more it affects his | | | | the legs higher than the body to help fluid drainage |
| body as the pressure increases. | | | | back to the body may help relieve them by reversing |
| Blood in the body is similar; in someone standing, the | | | | the effects of gravity. |
| pressure at the head is almost non-existent, but at | | | | (Anything interesting on the television-can you |
| the lowest part of the body the feet, the pressure is | | | | understand the language?) |
| higher because of the weight of the blood in the | | | | Because it needs time to wait for this to happen this |
| veins-but also because fresh blood is being pumped | | | | may eat into valuable trip time-might as well go back |
| there under pressure by the heart. | | | | to the hotel/villa/hostel/ tent and spend the next |
| The Calf Muscle Pump | | | | couple of days not doing any sightseeing (might as |
| To get used blood back to the body there is a | | | | well have stayed at home). |
| system called the muscle pump made up of the leg | | | | Or you can turn the accommodation into a Mini |
| muscles-the main motors for the pump being the calf | | | | Recovery Center and make the calf muscle pump |
| muscles. | | | | work again. |