Weight training and Chronic venous insufficiency

Medical Q&A [Moderated]
1

Dear BBM crew,

Thank you for your work and material you continuously post on the web.

My parents are getting older, around 65 year old.
My dad is an active person, but is slowly losing muscle and getting thinner.
My main worry is my mother: she’s been a sedentary person all her life. Never overweight, but never active. She’s starting to feel weaker. She started complaining of having a hard time getting up on her own. It’s nothing extremely difficult yet, but I know that’s bad news, as there is a link between the inability to get-up and an increase in the risk of a fall or even mortality (at least I remember hearing from Dan John).

I have been pushing so that my parents start some form of resistance training, and had several discussions with them.
One of the objections I faced was: my mother suffered from a (mild) form of Chronic venous insufficiency, and weight training wasn’t a good fit for her.
As far as I am aware, she isn’t suffering from any major pathology to the cardio vascular system, but simply has some trouble with her legs and some varicose veins there.

Would weight training really strain her vascular system too much, or would likely improve her condition?
What course of action would you recommend?

Thank you for your help.

2

Mild chronic venous insufficiency is essentially a cosmetic condition. So this would essentially be letting a cosmetic condition prevent her from doing the only thing that can keep her mobile and independent, risking (as you mentioned) falls, hospitalization, nursing home placement, and increased risk of death. While you don’t necessarily need to go into graphic detail with your mother when having this discussion, it needs to be made clear that the risk vs. benefit tradeoff here couldn’t be clearer.

Even if the venous insufficiency were more severe / symptomatic or causing complications like leg ulcers (which would be a bit more complex situation), we would still need to find a way to resistance train.

In short: venous insufficiency is not a reason to avoid strength training, especially when the alternative is to continue being sedentary and getting weaker.

3

Hi Dr. Baraki,

Thank you for your clear answer.
It’s much appreciated.

Best regards