Originally Posted by Tobra
You have a few systems circulating fluids around your body. Arterial, venous and lymphatic. The plumbing for each of these systems is as stout as it needs to be based on pressure it has to withstand. Arteries are under fairly high pressure, they have thick, muscular walls and the ability to stretch and return to their original size, like a snake eating a bunny. They carry the blood out to the body from the heart. The veins have much thinner walls, only pressure they get is from the muscles they run through giving a squeeze when the muscle contracts, carry the blood back to the heart. The lymphatics are even thinner walled than the veins, and while important, are not getting much play in this explanation.
The veins have relatively thin walls, and in a lot of places have valves to prevent backflow, particularly in the lower legs. The walls are thin, so they are relatively easy to stretch beyond their elastic capacity, their ability to bounce back to original shape. If they do get stretched o ut, it compromises the ability of the valves to prevent backflow. Gravity is relentless, and water flows downhill. This being the case, it is best to keep the original equipment plumbing working as intended for as long as possible. When the elastic goes in your socks, they won't stay up. When the elastic goes in your veins, your feet and ankles swell. If this condition goes on long enough, the fluid part of the blood starts to leak out of the veins, and get into the interstitial spaces, not inside a blood vessel or cell, where it does not belong, or the blood inside the vessels moves too slowly and turns into something like jello. When this happens, you tend to become acutely dead when the jello breaks loose from your leg, goes to your lung and prevents them from being perfused.
Hence the suggestion to take the baby aspirin and wear the support stockings when you are going to be sitting any significant length of time.
|