Admittedly, athletes are cut from a different cloth. They adhere to a stricter schedule and discipline than the normal individual and expect a lot out of their bodies. Their heightened consciousness about health gives them a physical advantage in many areas. Whether or not a person develops a vein condition, however, is a question of genetics, not health. Anyone from any background, age or health condition can develop vein reflux. However, for athletes there are some unique differences of which to be aware.
As an Athlete, How do I Know if I Have a Vein Condition?
Athletes tend to be extremely “body aware.” They tend to pay attention to changes and nuances in their physiology, and are typically more sensitive to the presence of a vein condition though they may not know exactly what's happening or why. Athletes will notice that something is “off” sooner than the normal person, and will definitely notice as their performance declines due to an unrecognized vein condition. They'll recognize the signs of a vein condition sooner, but won't be able to define the problem or know how to treat it.
Invisible Signs:
A vein condition causes a host of invisible symptoms ranging from fatigue and sleeplessness to restless leg syndrome, lower leg pain, leg cramps and more. See our downloadable Checklist of Invisible Signs of a Vein Condition for a full list. Athletes are accustomed to dealing with pain, fatigue and cramps on a regular basis that occurs either during or shortly after exercise. What makes these symptoms uniquely characteristic of a vein condition is the fact that they mostly occur at night. Additionally, an athletes performance is likely declining and they don't know why. They may be exhausted and unable to improve their time or meet the performance standards they or their coaches have set, despite their best efforts.
Visible Signs:
First of all, most athletes have normal looking legs - even with a vein condition. Others may notice visible signs in their legs. Leg veins may be visible with small spider veins particularly around the ankles. Because of an athlete's low body fat, veins are often visible and this can be normal. Visible veins that are normal appear straight. The difference with a vein condition is that abnormal veins are visibly curved and ropey. For a full list of the possible visible signs, click here. It is important to note that not everybody has visible signs - many patients have normal-looking legs. Additionally, athletes may disregard the visible veins associated with a vein condition, not realizing they are connected.
The Challenge:
Athletes have greater physical conditioning and greater physical reserve than others. They respond by trying to push through and put up with it longer than they should. In this case, being in peak physical condition can be less of a blessing and more of a curse. Because they tolerate the symptoms better, it results in a delay in the final awareness that a vein condition is at work. Continuing to exercise with a vein condition doesn't cause harm, but it can delay the awareness and diagnosis that you have a vein condition. If an athlete is trying to power through, they’ll keep going until it shows up in their declining performance, and this is the big clue that a vein condition may be at play. It will also affect them mentally and emotionally.
What is a Vein Condition?
In a nutshell, a vein condition - venous insufficiency - is a genetic condition that causes blood to pool in the lower legs as a result of vein reflux. Your leg veins are equipped with valves that prevent back flow as the heart pumps blood back to the heart. Vein reflux occurs when those valves relax and no longer close completely. If these valves aren’t working properly, blood pools in the legs. There are many symptoms that indicate a vein condition - both visible and invisible - and all of them are due to inflammation.
Stagnant blood in the legs causes an inflammatory response in the body. However, athletes know that inflammation is also caused by over-training. As a result, they may disregard inflammation and attribute it to a particularly hard workout, instead of seeing it as an indicator of vein reflux.
As I’ve stated, a vein condition is genetic, and it is also chronic. Nothing you physically do caused it, and nothing you physically do will make it go away. It will worsen over time. As the condition progresses and as your body naturally ages, even people in peak physical condition will notice the signs. A vein condition can also affect athletes of any age: young and old, men and women.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms and want to find out if your performance is impaired by a vein condition, you will need to get a specialized vein reflux ultrasound and evaluation by a vein care specialist.
