Flat Floor Syndrome-aching legs relief using Light Manual Muscle Relaxation1Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialisthttp://aching-legs.org/flat_floor_fatigue_syndrome.html

The Flat Floor Syndrome and Aching Legs

What is flat floor syndrome?

Flat floor syndrome is caused by working and walking on floors which do not give the legs enoughcontrast to make the calf muscles which are the motors and power supply for a pump that movesused fluid up the legs back to the bodyAching legs and swollen ankles caused by being flat floors for long periods is an occupationalhealth and safety issue-the long term effect of them on their health is very real

One of the major contributors to flat floor syndrome is that fluid always findsits own level because of gravity

All fluids (when in a confined space) exert a pressure-put water into a container from a tap and italways goes to the bottom and gradually fills up to the top-because of the weight of the water;because it is a column, the pressure of the water is greater at the bottom of the container than at thetop-the water surface has very little pressure on it

Gravity and the weight of fluid in the body

Pressure varies with the height of the liquid column and this can be observed in the veins of aperson standing up-at the head, the pressure is almost non-existent, but at the feet the lowest part of the body the pressure is higher.The term hydrostatic pressure refers to the force that a liquid exerts against the walls of its container(Hydro-water Static-standing still) and is measured in mm hg.Head -10 mm hgFeet +90 MM hgIn a standing person, pressure in the veins is low at the top of the head and high at the bottom; thepressure and weight that is placed on the veins in the legs is very high; the only thing preventing allthe fluid running out of the feet is the ends of the toes!

Instead you just get swollenankles

Flat Floor Syndrome-aching legs relief using Light Manual Muscle Relaxation2Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialisthttp://aching-legs.org/flat_floor_fatigue_syndrome.html

Fresh legs-healthy calf circulation

To kept the lower leg circulation working and the calf muscles fresh, the muscles rely on having aconstant supply of fresh blood to the muscle tissues-it is sent to the lower legs under pressurethrough the arteries and ever decreasing in size vessels called arterioles and even smaller capillarieswhile at the same time the pressure taking it there also decreasesBy the time the blood reaches the feet, all the pressure has been used, and there is none left to returnthe blood back up the legs to the body against gravity again

The Calf Muscle Pump

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.

The arteries take blood away from the heart to the rest of the body and the veins which have one-way valves in them take it back to the body again; the way used blood gets back up the legs so thatit can be replaced by fresh bloodThe calf muscle pump is made up of all the muscles in the legs, but the prime movers, or motorsthat provide the power for the pump are the calf muscles-these are made up of 2 basic movers-theyare Soleus which is primarily used for standing upright, and Gastrocnemius used for running and jumping

Bloodpumped fromheart througharteries under

pressureReaches feetPressure runsout

Calf musclesact as pumpmotorsUsed blood ismoved up thelegs throughthe veinsOn return tobody blood isrenourishedand recycled

SoleusGastrocnemius

Flat Floor Syndrome-aching legs relief using Light Manual Muscle Relaxation3Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialisthttp://aching-legs.org/flat_floor_fatigue_syndrome.html When you are walking/working on a flat floor, only one of the muscles, the Soleus is working at thepumping-so the calf muscle pump has become inefficient at what it should be doing-the veins haveone-way valves in them which open as the blood passes through them, and closes to stop it goingback down to the feet again-in this way, as used blood leaves the legs, and fresh blood replaces itThe calf muscle pump forces used blood against gravity up the legs back to the body for recyclingby alternately putting pressure on the venous system and releasing itAs the muscles squeeze, they open the valves, letting blood pass through them; when the tension isreleased, they close stopping the blood flowing back down towards the feet.

Problems caused by calf muscle pump inefficiency include

By not moving the legs, the pump does not work as well as it should-this disrupts the cycle andallows used blood to remain in the lower legs-as it its not being removed, water (lymph fluid)separates from it and fills the tissue spaces, as it is not being pumped away quickly enough, theankles swell

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Poor circulation

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Lymph system inactivity

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Venous return reducedTo keep the circulation in balance in the legs and reduce muscle fatigue, the same volume of bloodshould come out of the legs as goes into themCalf muscle fatigue, tight muscles, and poor lower leg circulation can chase each other around in acycle that is difficult to break out from-each is a self destructive part that props up the other parts of the cycle and it will take a circuit breaker to disrupt the cycle of fatigue

Calf MuscleFatiueTightcalf

muscles

PoorbloodreturnFreshbloodreduced