What is a muscle pump?
As the name suggests, the calf muscle pump is a type of pump powered by muscle strength. Our bodies contain several muscle pumps that are needed to transport, or pump, venous blood back to the heart. The muscle pump is primarily responsible for driving blood circulation in the veins of the legs. The calf muscle pump, therefore, refers specifically to the muscle pump located in the calf.
How does a muscle pump work?
The muscle pump is simply the way muscles support blood circulation through movement. The large veins run deep within the muscles. When we tense our muscles, the veins are compressed, forcing blood through them towards the heart. Venous valves prevent the pumped blood from flowing backward. They function like one-way valves: when blood flows towards the heart, they open. When the muscles relax, they close, preventing backflow.
The importance of movement
During movement, the so-called muscle belly (the swelling of a skeletal muscle between its origin and insertion) acts like a pump, because the pressure of the muscle pumps the blood upwards. Without movement, however, little to nothing would happen in the veins, because every muscle movement exerts alternating pressure or suction on the veins. If this force – whether pressure or suction – on the veins were absent, the heart would have to work extremely hard, pumping both arterial and venous blood throughout the entire body.
In other words, a muscle pump only works properly when activated by movement. That's why it's important to move your legs and feet regularly. Even those with a confirmed venous insufficiency can delay, if not prevent, the onset of the condition.
What kind of movement is good for the muscle pump?
In principle, any movement of the legs and feet is good for activating the calf muscle pump. This includes running, cycling, swimming, walking, or hiking. Those who work sitting down a lot should try to get up every now and then and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Even while sitting, you can still get some moderate exercise – provided you're sitting in an ergonomic chair that allows for movement, such as the Swopper from Aeris.
