Why It’s Important To Move Your Legs Around

By All American Fitness

When it comes to maintaining your health, there are so many things that you need to think about. There’s healthy eating, getting enough sleep, doing the right kinds of workouts, and drinking enough water. With all these things to keep track of, it can be easy to forget about the benefits of just moving your legs.

INCREASE CIRCULATION

One of the main benefits of moving your legs around is increased circulation. When you spend time walking, your muscles contract and then relax which pushes the blood to flow through your legs. This helps prevent varicose veins.

But perhaps more importantly, increasing circulation will also help lower blood pressure which has major repercussions for your health. As commonly known, high blood pressure present anywhere in your body can result in heart problems.

Additionally, when you have good blood circulation in your legs and to your feet, it becomes easier for your legs to absorb nutrients and efficiently discharge waste.

SITTING TOO LONG HAS CONSEQUENCES

Today, a large majority of jobs require you to sit for multiple hours every day. And while it may seem imperceptible, sitting for a long time over days, months, and years can have some major negative health effects. First, your posture can suffer which can stress your muscles. To counteract this, invest in an ergonomic desk chair and take breaks to walk around your office.

Additionally, varicose veins can form in older adults due to sitting too much. Varicose veins result when there is a lack of blood flow and a high amount of pressure on a certain vein. Walking around increases blood flow and helps those veins decompress.

BUILD MUSCLE

One of the main reasons that moving your legs and performing leg exercises is beneficial is because of the muscle that you can build as a result. Building muscle in your legs has huge benefits—not only will you likely feel like you look better, but increased leg muscles will make performing everyday tasks easier and less painful.

When you have strong legs, climbing the stairs isn’t difficult. Bringing in groceries is quicker. And you likely won’t throw out your bag when helping a friend move because you can use your leg muscles to carry the bulk of the weight.

Additionally, when you have stronger muscles, it will be easier for your body to endure through longer strenuous exercises. This can have benefits for your family—it will be easier for you to play tag with your kids and chase them around the playground.

IMPROVE BRAIN HEALTH

It has long been understood that moving your body and exercising has positive benefits for your brain health. But recent research has shown that moving your legs around can have even more specific benefits.

When you move your legs around, this exercise tells the brain to stay healthy. Interestingly, in studies recently performed, it has been shown that performing leg exercises that involve moving or lifting some sort of weight prompt the brain to produce healthy neurons which in turn helps you better deal with stress.  

INCREASE FLEXIBILITY

Another benefit of moving your legs is increased flexibility. When you take the time to not only participate in exercises like running or weightlifting but also perform exercises like stretching, your legs will become more flexible. Increased flexibility in your legs can help you in a variety of ways. First, stretching and flexibility will help you maintain proper posture. When you have good posture, you’re less likely to strain any particular part of your body.

Additionally, when your body is more flexible, your muscles are more naturally smoothed out and relaxed. This helps you in everyday tasks, but it will also help you when you’re performing different leg exercises.

PREVENT PAIN AND INJURY

In addition to increasing flexibility and increasing muscle relaxation, moving your legs around can also help prevent pain and injury. First off, you have already heard that it’s important to strengthen your core and your back muscles to prevent back pain and injury.

And while it is essential to do exercises for these parts of the body, moving your legs around and strengthening your legs can make a big difference in preventing back pain. Your leg muscles provide major support to your core and back and act as stabilizing muscles.

Additionally, focusing on leg-based exercise tends to be one of the most effective ways to eliminate excess body fat which can not only help you increase your confidence but can also help prevent many diseases and other health issues.

When it comes to maintaining your health, it can be overwhelming at first. With so many things to be thinking about, it can be hard to prioritize something as simple as walking around. This article goes into some of the benefits of simply moving your legs every day. So try and incorporate more movement into your daily routine.

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