The Second Heart You Never Knew You Had

How Your Calves Help Your Circulation

Intro

Do you ever get an achy feeling in your legs after sitting or standing too long? Or have you ever noticed that your feet and ankles are swollen after a long day? That might be your legs trying to tell you something about your circulation! We know the heart does some hard work keeping your blood pumping, but there’s a “second heart” lower down - your calf muscles! Let’s dive into how you can help improve your circulation by focusing on your calves. 

How It All Works

You’ve probably heard that your heart pumps blood for you, but did you know that your calves play a big role too? When your heart pumps blood, it does so by electrical pulses which you don’t consciously think about. The heart pumps the blood to all the areas of your body, all the way down to your feet. But getting it back to the heart to circulate is more challenging due to gravity. That’s where your calves come in! Every time you move your feet, walk, or flex your calves, those muscles help squeeze the veins and push blood upward, kind of like a second heart. Pretty clever, hey?

What Happens when Calf Circulation is Poor?

When blood isn’t pumping properly from the calves, problems can occur such as:

1. Swelling 
1. This is due to fluids lingering due to not enough pumping of blood
2. Varicose Veins
1. This is the spidery-looking, bulging veins that occur due to blood pooling
3. Thrombosis
1. In more severe cases, poor circulation can lead to blood clotting

How to Help Your Heart Helper 

1. Stay Moving

• Keeping mobile will help your calves pump blood. Here are a few easy ways to keep your second heart pumping!
1. Walk for a few minutes every day
2. Lift your heels repeatedly
3. Flex your ankles
4. Make circles with your feet

2. Visit a Physiotherapist

• If your calves are tight, weak, or not working properly, this can negatively affect their ability to pump blood back to the heart. Through hands-on treatment, stretches, and targeted exercises, physiotherapy can help your second heart work more effectively!

3. Invest in some good quality compression socks 

• Compression socks help keep the valves in your veins working properly ensuring that the blood can go back up to your heart without coming back down through the valves. Tip: not all compression socks are the same! It’s important to get custom graded compression socks so that they do their job without cutting off blood circulation. One brand that we recommend and sell is Bauerfeind, but your family doctor may have other suggestions! 

Conclusion 

Taking care of your circulation doesn’t just mean looking after your heart. Let’s start showing some love to our calves, too! By staying active and incorporating simple calf movements throughout your day, you can give your circulation some assistance! The next time your legs feel heavy or tired, remember that it might be time to get those calves working!

P.S. If you feel like simple calf movements aren’t enough or if you’re already beginning to deal with swelling or more, we’re here to help! Give us a call at 905-978-2669 or book an appointment here and our physios can help you get your calves moving better or measure you for a pair of compression socks!