Venous health: understanding heavy legs and swelling

The sensation of heavy legs and swollen feet and ankles, particularly at the end of the day, can be a sign of underlying venous circulation issues. Dr. Barbara Campanati, head of vascular surgery at Asst Lariana, notes that heat can exacerbate this condition by causing vasodilation, which leads to blood stagnation in the lower limbs and fluid leakage from capillaries into tissues.

While swelling caused by heat or prolonged standing is often benign and improves with rest or elevating the limbs, certain symptoms require immediate medical attention. These include sudden swelling in only one leg, redness, localized warmth, or pain, which may indicate deep vein thrombosis. Additionally, swelling accompanied by sudden shortness of breath or chest pain could signal a serious thromboembolic complication.