Anyone who has suffered a sprained ankle can recall the painful swelling associated with the injury, but may not be familiar with the term edema. Edema refers to swelling triggered by excess fluid trapped in your body’s tissues, and it can be caused by many factors besides injury. Mild causes of edema include sitting for too long in one position, eating too much salty food, pregnancy, and certain medications. More serious causes of edema include kidney disease, liver damage, and chronic venous insufficiency. According to the Mayo Clinic, edema can affect any part of your body, but is most commonly found in the feet, ankles, legs, hands and arms.
Mild edema is not life threatening, but it can lead to increasingly painful swelling and difficulty walking if not addressed. One of the easiest methods for managing mild edema is by increasing movement and muscle use in the affected area. Other common treatment methods include elevating the swollen area above the level of your heart several times a day, receiving massage therapy, and wearing compression socks or sleeves to put pressure on the swollen area. Reducing salt intake can also help decrease edema, as diets rich in salt can increase fluid retention.
One of the more critical symptoms of edema is swelling and pain in your legs does not go away after an extended period of time sitting. It is crucial to see a doctor immediately if this occurs, as it could be a sign of a serious blood clot. At Sitflow, health problems related to circulation are very important to us, and one of the driving forces behind the development of our product. We strongly encourage anyone that has a history of experiencing these symptoms to be mindful of the dangers, and seek proper medical attention.
