Around half of everyone older than age 50 experiences varicose veins, usually in the legs, according to MedlinePlus. However, as the Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center states, 25 percent of men ages 30 to 40 also experience vein problems. Even if you're fit, healthy and cycle every day, you can get varicose veins. Genetic predisposition plays a major role in the condition. Cycling isn't likely to make your condition worse if you do have varicose veins.
Varicose Veins
When blood flows back up through the veins in the leg to the heart, little valves in each vessel stop it from flowing back down again. When these valves fail, gravity brings blood back down the vein and causes it to expand. The result is a bulging, raised vein visible through the skin. While not usually a serious cause for concern, varicose veins can be unsightly and might even lead to blood clots or discomfort in the long term. They're much more common in people older than age 40, particularly women, according to Columbia University Health Services.
Cycling
Cycling isn't considered a direct cause of varicose veins. Indeed, physical exercise tends to help prevent varicose veins from getting worse, according to MedlinePlus. Cycling also helps you avoid the long sedentary periods standing or sitting that can contribute to varicose vein formation. However, cycling certainly isn't a cure for your vein problems. Nonetheless, if you're considering giving up cycling through fear of developing varicose veins, you probably don't need to worry.
Other Veins
A serious cyclist tends to build up her calf muscles over time. Sometimes, particularly during training, these tight muscles push normal veins closer to the surface of the skin. So, while it may look like a varicose vein at first glance, it is in fact a vein visible due to the extra blood used in the muscle during exercise, according to Teena Preston in "Australian Cyclist." Exercise veins often look more pronounced, straighter and less bunched than varicose veins.
Treatment
Cycling offers a good way to get exercise -- something that doctors suggest helps to treat varicose veins. Wearing compression socks and keeping your legs elevated when you sit or lie down can also help. However, these efforts may have limited impact. In some advanced cases, doctors may suggest a surgical approach. Procedures include the hook or avulsion phlebectomy which involves hooking and removing some of the damaged veins. Another option is known as vein stripping. This removes the saphenous vein and connecting veins from the leg. It's not as damaging and painful as it sounds, according to the NYU Cardiac and Vascular Institute.
References
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; What Are Varicose Veins?; February 2011
- "Australian Cyclist"; Tangled Up In Blue; Teena Preston; September 2008
- Columbia Student Health Services; Varicose Veins; 2004
- MedlinePlus; Varicose Veins; June 2011
- NYU Cardiac and Vascular Institute: Treatment for Varicose Veins, Spider Veins, and Deep Vein Thrombosis
- UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center: Varicose Veins
