Because you do not have a heart in your foot to pump blood up to your chest, veins have the difficult task of moving blood from your feet and legs up to your chest against gravity and distance. This is done with what is termed a calf muscle pump and one-way valves. As you move your legs, veins are compressed by muscles and blood moves up to the heart via the one-way valves in the veins. When the one-way valves are damaged, the blood moves in both directions (up and down) which causes abnormal pressures (venous hypertension) and symptoms such as leg pain, swelling, itching, cramping, heaviness, fatigue, discomfort and restless legs. The abnormal pressures can also cause varicose veins, spider veins, ulcers and skin discoloration and thickening.
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