Good Feet: Varicose Veins
July 25th, 2008Varicose Veins
Veins are thinner-walled than arteries. Since veins are returning blood back to the heart, they are under less pressure. Veins are more numerous than arteries and contain about 70 percent of the body’s blood at any one time. Since blood returning to the heart from the lower part of the body must move against gravity, most of the larger veins contain one-way valves to keep the blood from pooling in the feet and legs, or moving backwards.
Another well-known circulatory problem is varicose veins. Varicose veins are veins that have a valve problem. when this happens, blood moves backward and the veins become swollen. These veins swell, because of the blood they are being forced to hold, until eventually they do not function properly. The larger, deeper veins develop valve problems, and at that point the used blood re-routes through smaller, more superficial veins.
From this site: http://www.footcaredirect.com/circulation.html