Athletes hope stockings can improve blood flow

By Joannie Dobbs and Alan Titchenal

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 19, 2009
(Single Page View) | Return to Paginated View

If your excuse for not exercising is sore muscles, then Kona Ironman athletes might have a solution for you. Ultra-athletes recently have been seen wearing knee-high elastic compression stockings. These stockings are similar to hosiery worn for medical purposes used to improve blood circulation.

A variety of medical conditions can result in problems with veins returning blood properly up the legs. Conditions commonly treated with compression include varicose veins, lower leg edema and blood clots in the leg. The stockings do not eliminate varicose veins or other vein problems, but they do help to reduce the swelling, aching and feelings of heaviness that individuals with serious varicose veins can experience.

Question: Why are athletes wearing support hose?

Answer: Ironman athletes claim that the stockings enhance their performance and recovery from exercise.

Q: How do compression stockings help recovery?

A: Compression stockings are designed to assist blood flow out of the lower legs in people with normal or impaired blood circulation. When the veins in the calf are not working well, fluid can collect in body tissues and cause edema, swelling from fluid accumulation. This, in turn, can cause muscle soreness. The gentle pressure of compression stockings combined with leg muscle activity is thought to assist the flow of tissue fluid and blood into deep veins and enhance blood flow up the limb.

Q: What evidence supports the use of compression stockings by athletes?

A: There is certainly some scientific support and plenty of athlete testimonials that tout the benefits of compression stocking use in sports. But, since elite athletes have healthy blood vessels, it might seem surprising that compression stockings could provide any benefit.

However, some studies have reported that wearing compression stockings during exercise enhances blood flow to and from the lower leg and enhances the performance of some types of exercise. Although several studies have reported no performance benefit from compression stockings, these studies frequently reported that athletes experienced reduced muscle soreness and recovered from exercise more quickly.

Q: Will high-tech hosiery make the difference between you winning or losing a race?

A: Based on this year’s Kona Ironman, apparently not. Male and female winners were not wearing them.

Q: Are there other uses of compression stockings?

A: The use of compression stockings by elite athletes has piqued a growing interest in further research on their potential benefits in and out of the sport. Another use of compression stockings could be to decrease the risk of blood clot formation during air travel. Research supports the use of compression stockings during long plane rides to decrease the probability of blood clot formation.

Q: Will compression hose become the next fitness fashion statement?

A: The stockings do come in a variety of types and are designed to provide variable levels of compression. With regards to a fashion statement, the jury is still out.

Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S., and Alan Titchenal, Ph.D., C.N.S., are nutritionists in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii-Manoa. Dobbs also works with University Health Services.

If your excuse for not exercising is sore muscles, then Kona Ironman athletes might have a solution for you. Ultra-athletes recently have been seen wearing knee-high elastic compression stockings. These stockings are similar to hosiery worn for medical purposes used to improve blood circulation.
Click Here For More Info!

A variety of medical conditions can result in problems with veins returning blood properly up the legs. Conditions commonly treated with compression include varicose veins, lower leg edema and blood clots in the leg. The stockings do not eliminate varicose veins or other vein problems, but they do help to reduce the swelling, aching and feelings of heaviness that individuals with serious varicose veins can experience.

Question: Why are athletes wearing support hose?

Answer: Ironman athletes claim that the stockings enhance their performance and recovery from exercise.

Q: How do compression stockings help recovery?

A: Compression stockings are designed to assist blood flow out of the lower legs in people with normal or impaired blood circulation. When the veins in the calf are not working well, fluid can collect in body tissues and cause edema, swelling from fluid accumulation. This, in turn, can cause muscle soreness. The gentle pressure of compression stockings combined with leg muscle activity is thought to assist the flow of tissue fluid and blood into deep veins and enhance blood flow up the limb.

Q: What evidence supports the use of compression stockings by athletes?

A: There is certainly some scientific support and plenty of athlete testimonials that tout the benefits of compression stocking use in sports. But, since elite athletes have healthy blood vessels, it might seem surprising that compression stockings could provide any benefit.

However, some studies have reported that wearing compression stockings during exercise enhances blood flow to and from the lower leg and enhances the performance of some types of exercise. Although several studies have reported no performance benefit from compression stockings, these studies frequently reported that athletes experienced reduced muscle soreness and recovered from exercise more quickly.

Q: Will high-tech hosiery make the difference between you winning or losing a race?

A: Based on this year’s Kona Ironman, apparently not. Male and female winners were not wearing them.

Q: Are there other uses of compression stockings?

A: The use of compression stockings by elite athletes has piqued a growing interest in further research on their potential benefits in and out of the sport. Another use of compression stockings could be to decrease the risk of blood clot formation during air travel. Research supports the use of compression stockings during long plane rides to decrease the probability of blood clot formation.

Q: Will compression hose become the next fitness fashion statement?

A: The stockings do come in a variety of types and are designed to provide variable levels of compression. With regards to a fashion statement, the jury is still out.

http://www.medindia.net/news/First-Aid-can-Prevent-Death-of-Varicose-Vein-Patients-31778-2.htm

Even rudimentary knowledge would perhaps go a long way towards preventing fatal hemorrhaging in elderly people suffering a rupture of their varicose veins, an Australian scientist says.

According to University of Adelaide forensic pathologist Professor Roger Byard, a handful of elderly people die in their homes each year in Australia due to ruptured varicose veins.

“They are usually living alone, vulnerable, and unaware of what to do in the case of a hemorrhage,” he says.

“People need to be aware that veins can bleed quite dramatically with only relatively minor injuries. It is crucial to apply a dressing with firm pressure to the site of the hemorrhage and to elevate the bleeding leg. If that is done immediately, there is a chance that people can be saved,” he says.

Although the incidence of deaths due to hemorrhage from varicose veins is extremely rare, most of these deaths are entirely preventable, he says.

Varicose veins are common in the adult population, occurring in up to 40 per cent of men and 33 per cent of women in the Western world. Because the skin and tissue of elderly people is so fragile, they are more likely to sustain minor leg injuries and ulcers which can then lead to ruptured veins.

Professor Byard and Dr John Gilbert recently published the results of a 10-year autopsy study on the incidence of fatal hemorrhaging due to ruptured varicose veins in the South Australian population. Only eight cases were found in a total of more than 10,000 autopsies between January 1996 and December 2005. The male to female ratio was 1:3, with an average age of 78 years.

A Tampa Bay, Florida vein treatment practice is re-opening its virtual doors and bringing a new look to internet visitors. Using a variety of innovative web tools, patients considering cosmetic enhancement and dermatology procedures are getting comprehensive information in a futuristic way from the Vein & Cosmetic Center of Tampa Bay.
(Vocus) July 10, 2009 — The Vein & Cosmetic Center of Tampa Bay, a Florida cosmetic dermatology and plastic surgery practice, is reaching out to patients with a comprehensive new website that utilizes the latest tools of the internet. The new site is designed to give web visitors an abundance of information on the practice, its doctors and staff, and the procedures they offer by way of web video documentaries, graphic animations, patient testimonials, an updated blog, and detailed descriptions of treatment options. Offering spider and varicose vein treatments and plastic cosmetic surgery in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas, the Vein & Cosmetic Center, along with its Stunning Looks™ Medi Spa, is hoping to provide prospective patients with a virtual tour of its practice as well as give them hope that many dermatological conditions can be significantly improved.

The Vein & Cosmetic Center of Tampa Bay comes under the leadership of Dr. Jeffrey Hunt, a Tampa Bay vein specialist in practice for nearly 20 years. Dr. Hunt, working in collaboration with medical and plastic surgery website design firm Rosemont Media®, developed the new website to provide visitors with not only an accurate reflection of his practice, but also to be an example of a technologically advanced site that is user-friendly and conveys detailed information so that patients can have a better idea of what procedures entail. Dr. Hunt says this information is useful for web visitors to understand the level of commitment the Vein & Cosmetic Center has in seeing that patients achieve their ultimate goals. “With the new types of technologies available, we can now tighten the skin, erase pigmentation spots, resurface the skin to help with fine lines and wrinkles, add injectable fillers to help with sagging, and put normal volume back in the face. The combination of all these new procedures that are available allows us to custom-fit each particular treatment protocol to what works best for the desires of the individual.”
The Vein & Cosmetic Center of Tampa Bay focuses on treating vein disorders such as spider and varicose veins, as well as offering an array of cosmetic skin enhancement procedures – including BOTOX® Cosmetic, skin pigmentation correction, and laser hair removal. The center also offers a comprehensive list of both surgical and non-surgical plastic cosmetic surgery options, including Cool Lipo® laser liposuction in Florida. In addition to the many areas devoted to explanations of procedures, the new website is equipped with a before-and-after picture gallery, newsletters and specials information, and detailed biographies on Dr. Hunt, board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher J. Schaffer, and Nurse Practitioner Kristen Thornley Walsh, ARNP, MSN.
Dr. Jeffrey Hunt is one of the leading vein specialists in the southeast, having taken part in developing new laser systems and FDA-sanctioned clinical trials to treat a variety of skin conditions and spider and varicose vein procedures. The Vein & Cosmetic Center of Tampa Bay utilizes some of the most innovative skin enhancement technologies available, including the CoolTouch Endolaser™, the Harmony Pixel Laser, and intense pulsed light therapy (IPL).
Dr. Hunt hopes the new website will give patients a window into the Vein & Cosmetic Center of Tampa Bay and the Stunning Looks™ Medispa so they can see how the latest treatment options can help them improve their appearance and revitalize their self-esteem.
“We try to offer the most new and innovative techniques that give the best results with very affordable pricing for patients. Our feeling is that we can achieve beauty through science… and we only utilize those technologies that will give us the absolute best response.”

Austrian researchers reported on Monday that close to a quarter of patients who have superficial blood clots on their legs might be at risk for more serious clots deep in their veins.
Varicose veins, oral contraceptives, injuries and cancer can all cause blood clots near the surface of the legs.
Although most cases are not serious, this common condition could be a sign for deep vein thrombosis, which is when blood clots block off the blood flow deep in the veins.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can be deadly if the clots move to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism.
Dr. Barbara Binder of the Medical University of Graz, Austria, and colleagues studied 46 patients with superficial vein clots from November 2006 and June 2007.  All had a diagnostic imaging test and other lab tests.
The team found that 24 percent of the patients had deep vein thrombosis, even though most had no other symptoms.
DVT most often occurred with superficial clots in the lower leg.  It occurred in the same leg as the superficial clot in 73 percent of the patients.
“Our study … demonstrates that the risk of a concomitant DVT should not be underestimated,” Binder and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Dermatology.

In a recent observational study of patients with superficial venous thrombosis, or surface blood clots, in their legs, about 80 percent of patients had varicose veins. Among these patients, more serious deep-vein clots were uncommon. However, in the 20 percent of patients who had no varicose veins, the incidence of deep vein clots was 33 percent, Satiani said.

The study results were published in a recent issue of the journal Vascular Medicine.

Clots in the deeper veins of the leg can be important indicators of a clotting disorder that requires treatment beyond a vascular repair. Clotting disorders can be dangerous because of the elevated risk of a blood clot traveling to or lodging in blood vessels in the lungs. Such disorders, and any deep vein clots associated with them, are typically treated with blood-thinning agents delivered through injections or in pills.

“Most superficial clots are not associated with deep vein clots, which means the surface clots are not going to move,” Satiani said. “They’re not as scary as people may think.”

Symptoms of surface blood clots in the legs include isolated redness, pain and swelling that indicate the body is reacting to the clot, Satiani said. Most patients with surface blood clots can be safely treated with applications of heat, compression stockings or elastic bandages, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, frequent walking and elevation of the affected leg. Many such clotting problems are resolved within two to three weeks.

Even when varicose veins are a good indicator that a surface blood clot in the leg is unlikely to move or involve deeper veins, physicians routinely perform an ultrasound scan to rule out involvement of deeper veins and to monitor the status of the clot, Satiani said.

Satiani described varicose veins themselves as a mechanical problem. “Within the veins, the valves that act as gates don’t work properly, and blood heading upward toward the heart reverses direction,” he said. “Most clots in varicose veins are not dangerous as long as they are not close to the junction of the leg and the abdomen. There’s a cause for concern when these clots seem to move upward, because those may involve the femoral vein, the main vein in the leg.”

However, larger varicose veins even without clots can cause aching, swelling and fatigue of the lower legs and may require treatment to close off or remove the vein. The malfunctioning valves cannot be repaired, so physicians use heat, injected agents or surgery to close or remove the veins with the most severe mechanical problems, Satiani said.

Between 80 percent and 90 percent of varicose vein cases are inherited, so there is little people can do to prevent the problem, he said. Pregnancy or injury to the deep vein system also can cause varicose veins to form.

Nearly half of British women hate their legs – and one in six will not show their pins to their partners, it has been revealed.

A total of 47 per cent of the nation’s women are ashamed of their legs and six out of ten are too embarrassed to wear skirts and dresses in public.

Cellulite, varicose veins, excess fat or being too pale emerged as the top reasons why women will not get their legs out.

Researchers also found 17 per cent of women think their legs have kept them back in life and 63 per cent said they would be feel more confident if they were happier with their legs.

A further 28 per cent of women were so self-conscious they said they would not wear a bikini on holiday, with 49 per cent opting to wear a sarong to cover them up or use a towel at the pool.

The study also revealed many women hate their legs so much they will only wear a skirt or dress twice a week this summer.

Women worry about their legs at least twice a day, and spend an hour and a half thinking about their legs, weight and dress size, the study found.

Participants voted Beyoncé, Cheryl Cole and Elle Macpherson as having the best legs.

“It’s saddening to hear how many women hate their legs and it seems that often this comes down to a lack of confidence,” psychologist Corinne Sweet said.

San Jose-based Vnus (NASDAQ:VNUS) focuses on devices for minimally invasive treatment of venous reflux disease.

Covidien (NYSE:COV) will pay $29 per share for Vnus stock, which closed the day Thursday at $21.32.

Boards of directors for both companies have approved the deal, which is expected to be completed by June 30.

“The acquisition of Vnus will allow Covidien to expand its presence in the vascular market and is in line with our strategy of becoming a leading partner with vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists,” said Joe Almeida, president, Medical Devices, Covidien.

Staffing and other details were not disclosed.

Even rudimentary knowledge would perhaps go a long way towards preventing fatal hemorrhaging in elderly people suffering a rupture of their varicose veins, an Australian scientist says.

According to University of Adelaide forensic pathologist Professor Roger Byard, a handful of elderly people die in their homes each year in Australia due to ruptured varicose veins.

“They are usually living alone, vulnerable, and unaware of what to do in the case of a hemorrhage,” he says.

“People need to be aware that veins can bleed quite dramatically with only relatively minor injuries. It is crucial to apply a dressing with firm pressure to the site of the hemorrhage and to elevate the bleeding leg. If that is done immediately, there is a chance that people can be saved,” he says.

Although the incidence of deaths due to hemorrhage from varicose veins is extremely rare, most of these deaths are entirely preventable, he says.

Varicose veins are common in the adult population, occurring in up to 40 per cent of men and 33 per cent of women in the Western world. Because the skin and tissue of elderly people is so fragile, they are more likely to sustain minor leg injuries and ulcers which can then lead to ruptured veins.

Professor Byard and Dr John Gilbert recently published the results of a 10-year autopsy study on the incidence of fatal hemorrhaging due to ruptured varicose veins in the South Australian population.

Only eight cases were found in a total of more than 10,000 autopsies between January 1996 and December 2005. The male to female ratio was 1:3, with an average age of 78 years.

Their paper was published in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology in December 2007.

Source-Medindia
GPL/GA

Mar 24, 2009

Recently there has been a lot of publicity in the media about Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and its links to air travel. So what is DVT and how can it be prevented?

DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis, also referred to as ‘Economy Class Syndrome’ has gained notoriety in recent times. Basically it is caused by extended periods of immobility, which can lead to the development of a blood clot, usually in the legs. It is only likely to occur on long haul flights of five hours or more, and the problem is not restricted to air travel, but can happen if one is immobile for a long time for any reason.

The Symptoms of DVT

DVT is very difficult to spot, as the symptoms tend to be similar to a number of other conditions. Symptoms can occur a few hours after travelling, or even days later, though the majority of people experience the effects during the flight. DVT is most common in the lower limbs, where pain, swelling and discoloration of the affected region may occur. The leg may also show a congestion of superficial veins. However, it is important to realize that many people naturally experience swelling of the ankles during a flight, which is not in any way associated with DVT.

There may, however, be no symptoms at all until a pulmonary embolism occurs. This is the result of small pieces of a clot detaching and being carried through the blood stream to the heart and lungs. This may happen several hours or even days after the formulation of the clot, and can result in chest pains, shortness of breath and even sudden death.

Those at Risk of DVT

With an ever-increasing number of long haul flights every year, the number of individuals likely to be effected by DVT has inevitably also increased. All travellers are susceptible to DVT, though cramped seating often found in Economy Class may compound the problem – hence the term ‘Economy Class Syndrome’. However, DVT is not exclusive to long haul travellers, and any mode of transport which entails long periods of immobility may be responsible for DVT.

Every year DVT occurs in about 1 in 2000 people in the general population, ranging from less than 1 in 3000 in people under the age of 40, up to 1 in 500 in those over 80. Some people are more susceptible to DVT than others. As a general rule, the risk of DVT automatically increases with age. The risk also increases for those who have previously had a similar condition, are suffering from other serious diseases, have had recent surgery, or are pregnant. Research has also suggests that smoking, obesity and varicose veins can also compound susceptibility to DVT. When flying, the risks increase if the traveler has long periods of immobility, is seated in a cramped position, or is dehydrated

Preventing DVT

There are a number of ways to reduce the risk of DVT. It is best to avoid alcohol during flights, and instead drink plenty of water, to avoid dehydration. Travellers should use foot rests, and try to move around as much as is practical. One can also purchase elastic flight socks which are especially designed to reduce the risk of DVT; these are readily available at most pharmacies.

Despite the serious nature of DVT, it is important to stress that occurrences of it are very rare. The best advice for all travellers is to regularly carry out a serious of series of simple leg exercises which keep the leg muscles moving throughout the duration of a long haul flight.

Varicose vein treatment eases hunger in pigs

WASHINGTON — A treatment for varicose veins helped cut the appetites of healthy, growing pigs and might offer a less radical alternative to weight-loss surgery for obese people, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

They injected a chemical into blood vessels supplying a very specific part of the stomach to cut off production of the hunger hormone ghrelin.

It made the pigs eat less, and tests showed their bodies were producing as much as 60 percent less ghrelin, they reported in the journal Radiology.

“With gastric artery chemical embolization, called GACE, there’s no major surgery,” Dr. Aravind Arepally of the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, who led the study, said in a statement.

“In our study in pigs, this procedure produced an effect similar to bariatric surgery by suppressing ghrelin levels and subsequently lowering appetite.”