A group of tourists setting out for a day of sightseeing
Your legs can feel like this after some sight seeing
There are 2 main tourist groups of people with aching leg recovery concerns
The 'Intentional Athlete' with sports related leg recovery problems.
They make a deliberate choice to do a chosen sport.
This could be running-walking-soccer or any other sport.they might have gone traveling for
The 'Accidental Athlete' Tourists who walk too many cities, towns, villages, museums, monuments, art galleries, ancient buildings, and those who just get them from walking too far and too much to see it all.
Other than medical reasons which should have been checked out and have been or is being dealt with what can cause aching fatigued legs?
Tourists naturally want to see as much as possible in the time they have in a particular place they are visiting.
It involves getting there, setting up at the accommodation, and changing into suitable clothes and comfortable shoes (*hopefully-but there are exceptions).
Then armed with maps, cameras, water bottles, hats, rain coats and other tourist equipment it is off and running. (or walking slowly)
The average tourist time based on being out after breakfast and being back by tea time is 9 hours; this is broken by time out for lunch about an hour and toilet stops, the rest of the time is spent standing in lines to get into different venues and slow walking to see and photograph as much as possible.and for the tourist accidental athlete who walks all those flat floors very slowly this can mean aching feet.
Walking long distances, or long distances over small areas either tightens the leg muscles or-does not give muscles the opportunity to apply contraction and relaxation to the veins and as the day wears on the legs are really moving very little so the used blood in the lower legs and feet is not being pumped back to the body for refreshing and recirculating.
When it just sits, there is no fresh blood going to the leg muscles so they fatigue and feel heavy and the legs ache; water starts to separate from the used blood into the tissues and as it can't be pumped up the legs back to the body the ankles swell.
To work efficiently, the calf muscles must be working properly especially when you are walking and standing while visiting
The 'Intentional Athlete' with sports related leg recovery problems.
They make a deliberate choice to do a chosen sport.
This could be running-walking-soccer or any other sport.they might have gone traveling for
The 'Accidental Athlete' Tourists who walk too many cities, towns, villages, museums, monuments, art galleries, ancient buildings, and those who just get them from walking too far and too much to see it all.
Other than medical reasons which should have been checked out and have been or is being dealt with what can cause aching fatigued legs?
Tourists naturally want to see as much as possible in the time they have in a particular place they are visiting.
It involves getting there, setting up at the accommodation, and changing into suitable clothes and comfortable shoes (*hopefully-but there are exceptions).
Then armed with maps, cameras, water bottles, hats, rain coats and other tourist equipment it is off and running. (or walking slowly)
The average tourist time based on being out after breakfast and being back by tea time is 9 hours; this is broken by time out for lunch about an hour and toilet stops, the rest of the time is spent standing in lines to get into different venues and slow walking to see and photograph as much as possible.and for the tourist accidental athlete who walks all those flat floors very slowly this can mean aching feet.
Walking long distances, or long distances over small areas either tightens the leg muscles or-does not give muscles the opportunity to apply contraction and relaxation to the veins and as the day wears on the legs are really moving very little so the used blood in the lower legs and feet is not being pumped back to the body for refreshing and recirculating.
When it just sits, there is no fresh blood going to the leg muscles so they fatigue and feel heavy and the legs ache; water starts to separate from the used blood into the tissues and as it can't be pumped up the legs back to the body the ankles swell.
To work efficiently, the calf muscles must be working properly especially when you are walking and standing while visiting
|
|
Do you really want this to happen to your legs?
Swollen ankles (edema) fluid build up in the tissues; fluid cannot be pumped away fast enough so the ankles will swell. The Calf Muscle Pump The way used blood gets back up the legs to the body so that it can be replaced by fresh blood and revive the leg muscles is by a special system called the Calf Muscle Pump The calf muscle pump forces used blood against gravity up the legs back to the body for recycling by alternately putting pressure on the venous system and releasing it Oxygen depleted blood is progressively moved from the lower legs back up to the body where it is re-nourished with oxygen and nutrients and sent back out again to various parts of the body through the arteries. |
Swollen ankles after a day spent museum walking
The calf muscle had tightened up through slow walking viewing exhibits resulting in the the used blood staying down in the lower legs and fluid separating from it and filling the tissue spaces making the ankles swell |
the normal circulation system
When we walk and move the calf muscles form a pumping system to get the used blood uphill against gravity; when we don't move or move slowly it doesn't work.
The way used blood gets back up the legs to the body so that it can be replaced by fresh blood and revive the leg muscles is by a special system called the Calf Muscle Pump
The veins take blood to the heart, and the arteries take it away again
The calf muscle pump forces used blood against gravity up the legs back to the body for recycling by alternately putting pressure on the venous system and releasing it
The veins have one-way valves in them; as the muscles squeeze, they open, letting blood pass through them; when the tension is released, they close stopping the blood flowing back down towards the feet.
Oxygen depleted blood is progressively moved from the lower legs back up to the body where it is re-nourished with oxygen and nutrients and sent back out again to various parts of the body through the arteries.
The way used blood gets back up the legs to the body so that it can be replaced by fresh blood and revive the leg muscles is by a special system called the Calf Muscle Pump
The veins take blood to the heart, and the arteries take it away again
The calf muscle pump forces used blood against gravity up the legs back to the body for recycling by alternately putting pressure on the venous system and releasing it
The veins have one-way valves in them; as the muscles squeeze, they open, letting blood pass through them; when the tension is released, they close stopping the blood flowing back down towards the feet.
Oxygen depleted blood is progressively moved from the lower legs back up to the body where it is re-nourished with oxygen and nutrients and sent back out again to various parts of the body through the arteries.
more fluid pressure at the bottom than the top
Gravity and the weight of blood in the body Water is subject to pressure-the deeper it is the more pressure there is at the bottom; on the surface the swimmer feels none, but the deeper he goes the more it affects his body as the pressure increases.
Blood in the body is similar; in a standing person, the pressure at the head is almost non-existent, but at the feet the lowest part of the body, because of the weight of the blood, the pressure is higher.
The body is subject to 2 types of pressure down towards the feet
Pressure from the arteries
The heart pumps blood under pressure to all parts of the body; including the legs; because it is being pumped, this pressure is higher than the standing still pressure (Static pressure)
Static Pressure
Pressure from blood and lymph fluid is held in the lower legs by gravity-this blood and lymph fluid should be returned back to the body by the venous system.
To avoid circulation problems the supply and return of blood from the lower legs should be balanced
What goes down should go back up
To keep the circulation in balance in the legs and reduce muscle fatigue, the same volume of blood should come out of the legs as goes into them, if not, the balance is upset and problems can happen over the long term
Problems caused by calf muscle pump inefficiency include
What can contribute to this?
This can impact on the circulation by
Blood in the body is similar; in a standing person, the pressure at the head is almost non-existent, but at the feet the lowest part of the body, because of the weight of the blood, the pressure is higher.
The body is subject to 2 types of pressure down towards the feet
Pressure from the arteries
The heart pumps blood under pressure to all parts of the body; including the legs; because it is being pumped, this pressure is higher than the standing still pressure (Static pressure)
Static Pressure
Pressure from blood and lymph fluid is held in the lower legs by gravity-this blood and lymph fluid should be returned back to the body by the venous system.
To avoid circulation problems the supply and return of blood from the lower legs should be balanced
What goes down should go back up
To keep the circulation in balance in the legs and reduce muscle fatigue, the same volume of blood should come out of the legs as goes into them, if not, the balance is upset and problems can happen over the long term
Problems caused by calf muscle pump inefficiency include
- Varicose veins
- Poor circulation
- Lymph system inactivity
- Venous return reduced
- Swollen ankles
What can contribute to this?
- Constant sitting-the calf muscles are not being used at all so they do not pump fluid up the legs
- Sitting in one place-the muscles do not move and provide power to the calf muscle pump
- Standing still
- Walking slowly
- Many hours on the feet
This can impact on the circulation by
- Tight stiff sore calf muscles putting constant tension on the venous and lymphatic systems.
- The calf muscle pump not working properly so it cannot push fluid against gravity up the legs
- Gravity holding blood and fluid in the lowest part of the body
Passive Recovery for aching legs
This means letting the legs have their own way and letting them fix themselves up
A constant piece of advice is that lying on the back with the legs higher than the body to help fluid drainage back to the body may help relieve them. Lying down with the feet up so the legs can drain of fluid may not be an option because as it relies on gravity;it needs time to wait for this to happen and the tourist may want to be out seeing the nightlife.
Go and drown your sorrows in a bar (it may cover the pain)
Go back to the hotel/villa/hostel/ tent and spend the next couple of days not doing any sightseeing (might as well have stayed at home-anything interesting on the television-can you understand the language?)
This advice is usually ignored because it is too time consuming, if someone has been flying for hours and are on a limited time schedule they do not have time to have their legs elevated waiting for the fluid to drain.
This means letting the legs have their own way and letting them fix themselves up
A constant piece of advice is that lying on the back with the legs higher than the body to help fluid drainage back to the body may help relieve them. Lying down with the feet up so the legs can drain of fluid may not be an option because as it relies on gravity;it needs time to wait for this to happen and the tourist may want to be out seeing the nightlife.
Go and drown your sorrows in a bar (it may cover the pain)
Go back to the hotel/villa/hostel/ tent and spend the next couple of days not doing any sightseeing (might as well have stayed at home-anything interesting on the television-can you understand the language?)
This advice is usually ignored because it is too time consuming, if someone has been flying for hours and are on a limited time schedule they do not have time to have their legs elevated waiting for the fluid to drain.
giving the legs first aid
First aid needed for leg muscles
The faster the legs receive active help, the faster they recover but it is important they get it as soon as possible before soreness and stiffness limits what can be done with them.
There are ways to give the legs first aid and help them recover
The secret to a faster recovery is to reduce input/output required through-
Active recovery
This means taking a pro-active role in helping the calf muscles to work the pump at moving the fluid up the legs. This is where the legs are helped to recover using a system that is directed at increasing the circulation so that fresh blood can flood the muscle tissues
The best way to achieve this if you do not have time or the financial ability to pay for a course is to go for the ultra-lite version and use what I use to deal with calf muscle inactivity when it has not been working efficiently-just restart it.
This can be done using
This is applied using
The latest in non-technical, non-invasive 'cutting edge' solutions to fatigued aching legs relief
The advantages of using Light Manual Muscle Relaxation
it is Do It Yourself recovery
The faster the legs receive active help, the faster they recover but it is important they get it as soon as possible before soreness and stiffness limits what can be done with them.
There are ways to give the legs first aid and help them recover
The secret to a faster recovery is to reduce input/output required through-
Active recovery
This means taking a pro-active role in helping the calf muscles to work the pump at moving the fluid up the legs. This is where the legs are helped to recover using a system that is directed at increasing the circulation so that fresh blood can flood the muscle tissues
The best way to achieve this if you do not have time or the financial ability to pay for a course is to go for the ultra-lite version and use what I use to deal with calf muscle inactivity when it has not been working efficiently-just restart it.
This can be done using
- Simplicity
- Predictability
- Consistency-conditions the muscles by repetition.
This is applied using
The latest in non-technical, non-invasive 'cutting edge' solutions to fatigued aching legs relief
The advantages of using Light Manual Muscle Relaxation
it is Do It Yourself recovery
- No disrobing
- Works with the muscles not on them
- No oil used
- Non invasive
- User friendly
- Easy to learn
my accommodation at an event
Turn Your Accommodation into a Micro-Recovery Center
Many tourists have financial constraints; while there are companies that specialize in muscle recovery, they operate mainly in the big city hotel areas and can be expensive to hire them.
A cheaper option is to have a system that is do it yourself and flexible enough to do anywhere at any time and does not need equipment to be carried; this will cut down baggage weights and be easier to carry.
I lived and worked on this chair, I am sure most tourists would have more luxury than this
Many tourists have financial constraints; while there are companies that specialize in muscle recovery, they operate mainly in the big city hotel areas and can be expensive to hire them.
A cheaper option is to have a system that is do it yourself and flexible enough to do anywhere at any time and does not need equipment to be carried; this will cut down baggage weights and be easier to carry.
I lived and worked on this chair, I am sure most tourists would have more luxury than this
