examiner-leg troubles know no gender boundaries_20100426
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7/6/2016 For Columbus men, leg troubles know no gender boundaries | Examiner.com
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LIFE / STYLE & FASHION / MEN'S STYLE
For Columbus men, leg troubles know nogender boundariesApril 28, 2010
12:39 AM MST
A funny thing about poor leg circulation… it doesn’t respect gender boundaries—at
least not very much. Though nearly as likely to suffer from varicose veins or
chronically aching legs as women, men have long been limited in options available for
prevention or relief from discomfort. However, a Central Ohio firm selling ActivSkin
legwear for men, aka 'mantyhose', is providing a masculine alternative for improving
their lot.
If you’re a man nearing your forties—or maybe even the late thirties—chances are you
suffer from leg cramps, achiness, heaviness or varicose veins--or you know someone who
7/6/2016 For Columbus men, leg troubles know no gender boundaries | Examiner.com
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does. For men working in ‘at-risk’ professions, the
problem is more pervasive. Even though most leg
support products are directed toward women, up
to 45% of American men also suffer from some sort
of venous circulation problem[1] .
Adding insult to injury, if you complain to your
doctor about it, he or she will likely tell you to
either try support socks or expensive medical-
grade surgical hosiery if the problem is above the
knee. Of course, socks won’t address problems
above the knee, and most find the medical-grade
hosiery too tight, hot and difficult to put on.
They're better suited to more serious and readily
identifiable maladies. Thus, they usually wind up in
a drawer after a few wearings.
Having no ‘middle option’ to offer, medical professionals often resort to referring male
patients to the local drugstore to pick up a pair of L’eggs® Sheer Energy® pantyhose.
Though this may be a workable solution, most men are squeamish about buying women’s
hosiery. Instead, they simply ‘grin and bear it’ with nothing to ease their pain and
discomfort. Unfortunately, if you ignore issues with leg circulation, the consequences
don't just go away. They tend to become progressively worse.
The Problem, In A Nutshell
Venous circulation problems arise from many causes: sitting for extended periods of time,
long hours of standing (cashiers, chefs, surgeons, et al)—these constitute risk factors. The
veins in our legs do a lot of work carrying blood upward to the heart, working against
gravity the entire way. To prevent backflow, they’re equipped with tiny one-way valves
throughout their length. When muscles contract they squeeze the veins, forcing blood
back toward the heart. As we age, vein walls tend to weaken and stretch. This makes the
valves less effective at preventing backflow of blood, which may begin to pool in the lower
legs. Pooled blood places added pressure on our vein walls. This further exacerbates the
problem, leading to the ‘heavy’ feeling experienced by many men with venous
insufficiency. Weakened blood vessels sometimes bulge under the strain, creating visible
signs of varicose veins.
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These visible symptomes are generally accompanied by cramping and achiness. Leg
cramps are painful, involuntary muscle contractions occurring mainly in older adults. They
can disrupt sleep, cause tenderness, muscle fatigue, and spasms. They're very common,
affecting up to 70% of people over age 50. Some studies suggest roughly one in two
people over 50 suffer from varicose veins. In many cases it’s impossible to determine a
specific cause, since they can arise from many sources.
Treatment Options
In addition to massage, exercise, and improved diet—elastic compression therapy can also
help when veins have trouble doing it on their own. It consists of simply wearing
nylon/spandex hosiery during the day, which applies sufficient pressure around the leg
and supports leg muscles and veins, facilitating good circulation. Wearing compression
legwear enhances blood flow, which gets more oxygen to leg muscles, energizing them
all day. As a result, leg cramps can be diminished or eliminated altogether by this simple
measure; not to mention the support provided to weakened blood vessels associated with
varicose veins.
It doesn’t take much compression to provide some relief. Wearing support hosiery can
help prevent this condition from progressively worsening. Prevention is key. Once they
appear you can only keep them from getting worse. The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human
Services’ FAQs on varicose veins states, “The single most important thing a person can do
to slow development of new varicose veins is to wear graduated compression support
hosiery as much as possible during the day[2].”
New Solutions for Men
Women have long benefited from wearing support hosiery, having dozens of brands to
choose from. Of men who’ve tried women’s brands, most would prefer a garment
designed to fit the male body. Sheer pantyhose and tights have traditionally been
associated with women’s wear, consequently preventing men from discovering an
effective solution to leg discomfort. That's changing considerably as companies are now
offering hosiery made especially for men. Granville, Ohio-based ActivSkin was the first
to do so in 1999. They were soon followed by several overseas women's hosiery firms that
added men's lines of sheer and opaque tights to their existing product line. Among these
were Wolford (later discontinued), Gerbe, Levee, and Aries. In addition to conforming to
larger body sizes, wider waists, etc.; many of the new styles also include a fly opening as
well.
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The companies selling these new styles of support hosiery for men advocate the
philosophy that they're equally well suited to men as women. These 'mantyhose', as many
in the press have labeled it, provide a masculine alternative to women's brands, and
growing media exposure of the male legwear trend has emboldened many to wear them
on a regular basis in the interest of maintaining improved leg health.
As our population ages, we’ve become much more attuned to preventative health
measures—preferring proactive to reactive. Today’s man has become more confident in
his masculinity—becoming less prone to balk at using products women have long known
to be beneficial. The emerging mindset is, “Does it get the job done?” As a result, sheer
and opaque tights for men are emerging from the edges of consumer awareness and
appear poised to become a significant trend.
Traditionally, men aren’t supposed to ‘care’ about their appearance. But, this stereotype is
rapidly giving way, with men using moisturizers, facial cleansers, hair coloring, hair
removal, etc. to improve their look and maybe squeeze a few more years of youthful vigor
out of their bodies. In fact, men do care about their appearance, they just don't want it
to seem obvious. As we age, our legs can start to look pretty pale and lumpy without
proper precautions. But guys needn't be ready to hang up their shorts by the time they hit
their fifties. In addition to helping legs feel energized, many guys wearing the new male
support hose report the added bonus of compliments from wives about how good their
legs look. To paraphrase an old parody—‘its better to look good AND feel good.’ ”
There are no guarantees, of course, that wearing compression hose will stop leg aches,
but ActivSkin has received dozens of testimonials to that effect, and continued sales
growth seems to bear it out. If you're a man with tired, heavy legs—or you're a woman
married to one—do yourself a favor and look into it further.
[1] U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, The National Women’s Health & Information
Center (http://www.womenshealth.gov/FAQ/varicose-spider-veins.cfm#C)
[2] ibid.
[3] ibid, (http://www.womenshealth.gov/FAQ/varicose-spider-veins.cfm#K)
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