Yoga for Varicose Veins

Yoga is a form of exercise that has been practiced for thousands of years. It is a great way to stay fit, focused, and stress-free.…

woman doing yoga

Yoga is a form of exercise that has been practiced for thousands of years. It is a great way to stay fit, focused, and stress-free. With proven health benefits, yoga relaxes your mind and body and strengthens you from within. 

Research has shown that yoga can relieve chronic pain and discomfort associated with arthritis, migraine, and back problems. Through controlled breathing and standard postures, or “asanas,” yoga improves your circulation and helps your body restore its balance. 

A healthy activity like yoga may not be able to cure conditions like varicose veins, though. But certain yoga poses for varicose veins can relieve pain and discomfort.  

Yoga for Varicose Veins

‌Your legs endure your entire body weight, causing the veins inside them to experience a lot of pressure while pumping blood. Healthy veins in your legs have valves to help circulate your blood to your heart. Blood can collect in your veins when the valves don’t function properly. As a result, you develop veins that are twisted and enlarged, called varicose veins. 

You may get varicose or spider veins due to the following risk factors: ‌

  • Old age
  • Weight gain or obesity
  • Sedentary lifestyle 
  • Hormonal changes
  • Genes passed down from your family

While yoga can’t heal varicose veins, it can act as a natural treatment for varicose veins and reduce the swelling and soreness in your legs. Yoga poses can improve your blood circulation, relieve the pressure on your legs, and ease the symptoms of varicose veins. It can also improve your posture and balance, strengthen your veins and muscles, and aid in better movement. 

6 Effective Yoga Poses to Relieve Varicose Vein Pain 

Yoga stimulates blood flow and relieves pain, promoting healthy veins in your legs. Here are six easy “asanas” that can help you overcome varicose vein leg pain.  


1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana) 

This basic yoga pose tones and strengthens your legs and aligns your posture. It balances your body weight, releases the pressure on your varicose veins, and boosts your circulation.
 

Steps:

  • ‌Stand straight with your feet slightly apart and hands on your side.
  • With your feet firmly on the ground, tighten your thigh muscles and strengthen your ankles.
  • You will feel your body’s energy move from your feet to your head.
  • Breathe normally and hold the pose for a few seconds before releasing it gradually.

‌Variations: 

  • ‌For a complete stretch, raise your arms, look up, and breathe. 
  • Stand against a wall if you feel you need additional support.
2. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

‌This pose involves stretching. Doing it regularly will give you immediate relief as stretching improves circulation and can ease leg pain. 

Steps: 

  • Stand straight, keep your hands on your hips, and breathe in.
  • Breathe out and completely bend forward from the hips by slightly bending your knees.
  • Touch the ground and balance your body weight.
  • Feel your legs stretch from your hips.
  • Dangle your head near your legs and hold the pose.
  • Breathe in and release the pose.
  • Rise slowly and place your hands on your hips.

Variations: 

  • ‌Bend your knees slightly more to touch the ground completely. 
  • If you can’t bend, place a chair in front of you and stretch to reach it instead of the ground. 

3. Legs Up The Wall (Viparita Karani)

‌This is another great pose to lift your legs and get instant relief from varicose vein pain. On raising your legs, your blood flow improves due to gravity and eases the pressure on your varicose veins.

Steps: 

  • Lie on your back facing a wall.
  • Raise your legs straight and make sure they rest parallel to the wall.
  • You may keep your hands on either side of your body. 
  • Optionally, you can support your lower back with your hands and try to lift your buttocks off the ground.
  • Hold the pose for about 30 seconds.
  • Relax and return to your resting position.

Variations: 

  • ‌If you can’t raise your legs straight, lie on your back and bend your legs against the wall. Your legs can rest on the wall at any angle you find comfortable. 
  • For support, place a pillow or folded blanket under your buttocks to lift your hips higher. 
  • Once you gain confidence, try this pose without the wall’s support. 

4. Wind Relieving Pose (Pawanmuktasana)

‌This relaxing pose helps the pooled blood in your varicose veins flow freely. It relieves pressure on your legs, thighs, and hips, which usually bear all your weight. 

Steps: 

  • ‌Lie flat on your back on the ground.
  • Breathe in and keep your feet together with your hands on the sides.
  • Breathe out and move your knees toward your chest.
  • Press your thighs in on your chest and grip your hands around your legs.
  • Hold the pose and breathe normally.
  • Breathe out as you release the pose.

Variations: 

  • Holding the pose, roll on your sides to improve circulation further. 
  • You may even lift your head toward your knees for a full stretch. 
  • If you find it difficult to lie down, sit on the floor, bend your knees, pull your thighs toward your chest, and hold your legs tightly.
5. Boat Pose (Navasana)

‌Elevating your legs can drastically reduce the pressure on your varicose veins. The boat pose helps you raise your legs to circulate the pooled blood upward. 

Steps: 

  • Sit down and bend your knees with your feet flat on the ground.
  • Breathe in and slowly lift your feet off the ground.
  • Keep your knees bent and hold your thighs.
  • Gradually straighten your legs to a 45-degree angle.
  • Your body will form a “V” shape.
  • Try to keep your back straight even if your body bends back a little.
  • Hold this posture for a few seconds.
  • Breathe out as you bring your legs back to the ground.

 Variations: 

  • ‌If you can’t balance your weight, take support by placing your palms flat on the ground behind you. 
  • You can keep your knees bent and hold your thighs to stay in position if you can’t straighten your legs.

6. Butterfly Pose (Badhakonasana)

‌This fun, relaxing stretch improves leg movement and enhances blood circulation in your legs.

Steps: 

  • ‌Sit straight on the ground with your legs spread out.
  • Bend your knees and bring your feet closer to your pelvis. 
  • The soles of your feet must touch each other.
  • Tightly grasp your feet with your hands for support. 
  • Pull your heels in as close to your pelvis as possible.
  • Breathe normally.
  • Gently press your thighs and knees down toward the ground and flap them up and down. 
  • Keep doing this and imagine your legs to be the fluttering wings of a butterfly.‌

Variations: 

  • ‌You can change the fluttering speed based on your comfort. 
  • ‌If your thighs don’t reach the floor, slowly push down on your knees with your hands for a better stretch.

‌Find a Varicose Vein Specialist Today

These six yoga poses can significantly alleviate any pain and discomfort associated with varicose veins. However, they’re only a temporary solution for varicose vein symptoms.

If varicose veins affect your daily activities or cause unbearable pain and uneasiness, you must seek the advice of a varicose vein specialist. 

My Vein Treatment can guide you and help you locate a varicose vein expert. Our novel “vein specialist locator tool” will help you find a vein specialist, learn about various medical treatments available, and say goodbye to varicose veins and their painful symptoms.