PHOENIX — Working from home is a way of life for a lot of people now but all of that sitting is leading to more inactivity and there are dangerous health implications.
Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Marcus Duda says more patients are being seen for poor circulation, pooling of blood in the legs which leads to blood clots and leg ulcers.
The good news is there are three easy ways to remedy this.
- Diet changes
- Clothing
- Adding in simple movements
With diet, Dr. Duda says we have to start limiting vasoconstrictive foods or things that clamp down on our arteries. That includes caffeine and energy drinks.
When it comes to clothing, compression socks are highly recommended to increase blood flow.
In fact, Dr. Duda invented a line of alpaca wool compression socks and says it's best to stick to natural fibers and avoid cotton and polyester. Leggings and fitted yoga pants can also be better than loser fitting ones.
Finally, Dr. Duda says to add in some simple movement.
"Every hour get up and do some stretching. I'll do toe raises next to the desk. I've got a little stool; I'll step onto the stool." said Dr. Duda, "We've got to get the muscles moving again and without them moving we're not going to get any circulation going to our lower extremities."
He says just 40-seconds of that movement each hour makes a difference.
Most importantly he adds if you start seeing discoloration in your legs or if your calf or thigh get tender, it's time to see a doctor to check for blood clots.