Budhiraja says, since that first hour is when most of the fluid will shift. Start elevating your legs “at least an hour before sleep time,” Dr. The practice might also worsen sciatica pain.Īnd people who deal with frequent urination with leg swelling should also be careful, as the redistribution of fluids in your body could cause you to pee even more throughout the night. “People with significant heart failure or poorly controlled hypertension should consult with their physicians regarding any potential impact of leg elevation,” explains Dr. However, you should exercise caution in certain cases. The same concept goes for people who have fainted since elevation increases the amount of oxygen flowing to the brain. Dasgupta also uses leg elevation in the ICU for people who are severely ill, since the practice can help raise critically low blood pressure. You should always talk to your doctor and treat the underlying cause of these conditions, he says, but leg elevation can help ease symptoms and even prevent the need for diuretics (or “water pills”).ĭr. Dasgupta notes, including people with cellulitis, a history of blood clotting, and swelling due to multiple conditions, like pregnancy, infections, or injuries. Prevention - Hearst Owned Who should use a leg elevation pillow?Īlmost anyone can benefit from a leg elevation pillow, Dr. Bells and whistles can be great, especially when you’re looking for a long-lasting pillow, but any option within your budget should get the job done. “You’ve got to go with what’s affordable,” Dr. Budhiraja says, but “too hard a pillow may be uncomfortable.” Try a few out and prioritize memory foam, which is generally denser and more supportive than regular foam. “Too soft a pillow may not provide enough support,” Dr. You need to find a leg elevation pillow with the right ratio of comfort to density. The practice might also worsen sciatica pain, because you’ll generally want your legs to rest above the height of your heart. The most important feature to look for is their height, explains Rohit Budhiraja, M.D., pulmonary and sleep specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Most options look like wide wedges, but some are narrower or more ergonomic. The right leg elevation pillow depends upon the shape of your legs, your height, and your available space.
Foam wedge for leg elevation how to#
“It also has an anti-skid base to help prevent slippage.” It offers exceptional comfort and pain relief thanks to the memory foam material, and has over 2,000 five-star reviewers on Amazon attesting to its reliability.Ī DMI Ortho How to choose the best leg elevation pillow for you This pillow “offers dense luxury foam that gives bounce-back buoyancy and prevents it from losing its shape,” explains Prestipino. Keeping these benefits in mind, here are the best leg elevation pillows you can find online. Elevation of the legs on the pillow helps to decrease the swelling into the legs and can help decrease pain,” Prestinpino explains. “The pillows can also help decrease leg and back pain, by flattening the lumbar spine.
That’s why a leg elevation pillow can be helpful in easing inflammation, lower extremity swelling, leg ulcers, and varicose veins, as well as decrease the likelihood of blood clots, says Melissa Prestipino, P.T., D.P.T., licensed physical therapist and owner of Maize & Blue Rehab in Sparta, NJ. Meet the experts: Raj Dasgupta, M.D., board-certified sleep medicine physician and assistant program director at the University of Southern California Rohit Budhiraja, M.D., pulmonary and sleep specialist Brigham and Women’s Hospital Melissa Prestipino, P.T., D.P.T., licensed physical therapist and owner of Maize & Blue Rehab in Sparta, NJ. “Just by simply raising your legs, you’re helping deliver necessary oxygen to every cell and every tissue in the body.” “It’s a big trip to go all the way up there,” he explains. Your heart fights against gravity to pull oxygen-depleted blood from the veins in your legs, and raising them allows this process to happen much more efficiently. How? Raising your legs above the rest of your body improves circulation, says Raj Dasgupta, M.D., board-certified sleep medicine physician and assistant program director at the University of Southern California.
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