Laboratory workers Aching Legs

Lab staff who spend all their day in a lab do not usually cover much ground-they are limited tomovement in and around their machines- this make them vulnerable to tired aching legs, and varicoseveins, and whatever else they develop (seewww.hazards.org/standing

) for more problems that canaffect their health over the long termOccupational health and safety issues with aching legs are a constant problem for them, and one that isdifficult to deal with-usually the best advice that can be given for them is to wear a good pair of shoesand on going home to lie down with the legs elevated to allow the fluid that has built up in the feet andankles to drain back to the bodyHere is an image of a leg of a swollen lower leg and ankle-it shows how lack of movement can affectlower leg circulation and make the feet uncomfortable in the shoes at the end of the day

The Calf Muscle Pump-Light Manual Muscle Relaxation as an aid to lower leg circulationCopyright 2009 Michael Gillan 2ultra marathon recovery specialistwww.aching-legs.org /lab_workers_leg_relief.htmlIf the poor circulation is medically related there is not much to be done except get them dealt with bythe medical profession-but if the lack of circulation it is related to not moving enough then it may behelped by a simple effective pro-active recovery system

Light Manual Muscle Relaxation-a self help massage-lite recovery system

These runners who have just spent 3 days on the running track represent how the pathologist feels after a heavyday in the lab-unfortunately, they do not have time for laying around like this, there are home and familycommitments to fulfil

When you get home at the end of the day, lying down with the legs in the air is the last thingthey need it is too passive, and to most people it is too passive-they need an active methodOther than having aching legs why do they need to be relieved?

Over the longer term, aching legs can affect the health, it is an occupational health and safety issue, thelong term effect on the lower legs and circulation may lead to health problems(For more on this seewww.hazards.org/standing

)

Problems caused bycalf muscle pump inefficiency include

•

Poor circulation

•

Lymph system inactivity

•

Venous return reduced

This can lead to long term leg health problems

(See www.hazards.org/standing)

Muscle health is based on having a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to them

To maintain the supply of fresh blood to the lower legs a balance between what goes into the musclesand what comes out of them is important-fresh blood can't enter the muscle tissues if nothing iscoming out of them

My knowledge offers a simple self help-system developed on and for ultra marathon runners andwalkers that works

with

the muscles-this makes it easy to do and it does not need equipment or anycomplicated hands on training to doUnless you know what you are doing most modern massage techniques are not only too technical-theycan be too rough on tissues, arteries, and veins in the legs from

uncontrolled finger force

and untrainedhands working

and

into

the muscles causing damage

The Calf Muscle Pump

The calf muscle pump is a very important part of the circulatory system-the purpose of the calf musclepump is to force used blood against gravity up the legs back to the body for recyclingThe muscle pump is made up of all the leg muscles-the main motors for the pumping system are thecalf muscles, the soleus which is used for standing and walking and the gastrocnemius used for runningand jumping, and together they work to move blood up the legs by alternately putting pressure on theveins and releasing itThe veins have one-way valves in them-as the muscles squeeze, they open the valves, letting bloodpass through them; when the tension is released they close, stopping it flowing back down towards thefeetThe veins which take blood back to the body have one-way valves in them which stops blood fromflowing back down towards the feet when they are closed-as the muscles apply pressure to the veins,they open the valves, letting blood pass through them; when the tension is released, they close againIf someone has a job that involves standing for long periods the weight of fluid in the body can putpressure on the on one-way valves causing the veins to widen and gaps in the valves to allow leakageof fluid back into the lower legsLack of movement reduces the veins ability to open and close by keeping constant tension on them, thisis called calf muscle pump inefficiency; this also affects the Lymphatic System through a reduction of lymph fluid flowgastrocnemius