Three Stretches to Complement Your Exercise Routine

Last month we shared three exercises you could do from the comfort of your living room. This month, we’re complementing those exercises with three stretches your legs will love you for. Good vein health in your legs starts with proper exercise and stretching, but many don’t know where to start. Don’t worry — these are easy, promote blood flow and avoid adding pain to your condition.

Rotating Ankles
You can work on your vein health from the ground up by improving your ankle mobility. This one’s pretty easy: Start by pointing one foot toes-first out in front of you. Rotate clockwise for several rotations, using your other foot as a stabilizer to help you keep balance. After several rotations clockwise, reverse it, rotating counter-clockwise. Switch sides. You may experience a “clicking” sensation as you do this — that’s okay! You are stretching the ankle joint and building mobility. This will help you prevent injuring your ankles in the future and promote bloodflow in the foot and leg. This video will help you get started.

Couch Stretch
This one’s called the couch stretch because you can use your couch to do it! You can also use a wall, as demonstrated in this video. This stretch is great for your quads but will also open up your hip flexors and build stronger hip mobility. Use a towel or other soft object on the ground to rest your knee, if you experience pain with your knee directly on your floor. Start by placing one knee down on the ground, with the top of your foot resting against the couch or wall. You can ease into this stretch by staying low to the ground at first, but you’ll want to eventually sit up and lean back into the bent leg. You should feel a nice stretch in your thighs and hips — hold this as long as you’d like! Safely come down out of it and switch to the other leg.

Standing Hamstring Stretch
Perhaps you recall this simple stretch from your high school PE days. The standing hamstring stretch is a classic for a reason — it’s great for your hamstrings, and it’s easy to measure your results over time! You’ll start in the standing position, crossing your right foot over your left. You’ll lean down and attempt to touch your toes or, even better, the floor. Don’t worry — if you can reach your knees or the mid-shin area, that’s okay! Over time, you’ll improve your flexibility and find yourself inching closer to the floor. Just remember to keep those legs completely straight by locking the knees. Hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds before switching legs, crossing the left foot over the right. This video has great tips on this simple stretch.