Have you ever thought of using a leg elevation pillow? Whilst many of us can get away without using them certain medical or health issues make them a must-have. The question is when should you be using them and what is the best foot elevation wedge to use?
We have compiled a list of 10 reasons why you might want to consider using a foot elevation pillow and put some of our favourite pillow types to use.
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Should You Elevate Your Feet at Night?
Before you go rushing out to buy a leg elevation pillow not everyone, of course, will ever need to use one. If you don’t feel that your feet are tired, swollen or painful you might never need one. However, if you are on your feet all day, have just had surgery or are pregnant then one of these pillows might become an essential purchase.
The need to elevate your feet at night depends on your particular health conditions as well as problems with pain or swelling. Whilst they are handy for just putting your feet up for a rest most people purchase a leg rest pillow because they are suffering from problems.
What is the Proper Way to Elevate Your Leg?
Leg and feet elevation pillows help you to find the perfect position for your legs without you having to do any guesswork.
The idea behind resting your legs is to help defy gravity or to improve your posture. Generally, you need to have your legs elevated higher than your heart. This allows blood flow to move with ease around the body instead of having to work against gravity all the time. A good elevation pillow will have the right degree of support and height to help you get the best results.
Not all pillows, however, are the same which is why we have suggested a number of different types and makes to suit particular problems. For example, the needs of someone who has just had surgery will be different from someone who has swollen feet after a day stood on their feet.
What we do need to stress is that ordinary pillows are simply not going to do the job well and might even make things worse. They don’t have the support, tend to lack stability and getting the right height can be tricky. A good firm elevation pillow is a more solid foundation to help make sure your legs are getting the support they need and are raised high enough so that you get a benefit.
What are the Benefits of Raising your Legs?
There are a number of reasons why you might need a leg-raiser cushion to help your legs and feet. We have looked at eight benefits and reasons why you might consider using one as well and recommend some of the best-selling pillows on the market.
Carefully consider your needs before deciding on what kind of pillow you want and how much you want to spend. If you only need a leg pillow in the short term you can get away with spending less. If however, you are intending to keep the pillow for good then consider spending a little more.
We love our final choice the Healthex Bed Wedge Pillow because it can be used for a number of different conditions which is why it could be your new household essential.
So let’s look at the main benefits of raising your legs and using a leg elevation pillow.
Using a Leg Elevation Pillow for Circulation
One of the main reasons that people use leg pillows is for increased blood circulation. Every day your heart is pumping blood around your body. In order to move that blood from your feet and legs back to your heart requires your circulatory system to defy gravity. It will have to work significantly harder if you are on your feet all day working or if you have a medical problem that causes problems with circulation.
Diabetes, arterial disease or even being overweight all contribute to making that job significantly more difficult. This leads to problems such as swollen feet and ankles, discomfort and pain. By regularly raising your feet above your heart using a leg elevation pillow you can ease the pressure on the circulatory system.
We think that one of the best pillows to elevate legs above the heart is the Ebung Elevation Pillow which is made from memory foam. This product has thousands of positive reviews and is great at helping blood circulation and swelling. Even better the cover for the pillow is washable which means it will still look great even after prolonged use.
Leg Rest Pillows and Swollen Legs
If you are on your feet all day you know that it is going to take a toll on your body. There are millions of people out there who work in jobs that require them to stand up for a good portion of the day and this creates problems such as foot and leg pain, swollen ankles and tired feet.
Think of all those nurses, retail workers, construction workers and teachers who can easily spend 8 hours a day walking around. Now whilst standing up and moving for a portion of your day is actually helpful for your health these benefits start to reduce if you are spending most of your time on your feet. So if you are one of these people help your feet and legs to recover by using a foam leg wedge.
As an alternative to the Ebung Pillow you could also try this pillow from Abco Tech.
Varicose Veins and Leg Elevation
Weak veins in the leg can cause a problem with unsightly varicose veins in the leg. Varicose veins can get progressively worse if you don’t take steps to rectify the problem. In addition, if they are left unchecked you can get leg pain and discomfort and even blood clots in your leg. It makes sense therefore to start using a leg elevation pillow to help alleviate any existing and future problems.
This Ebung Leg Elevation Pillow is a great one to choose at it has a cooling gel on the wedge which can help ease any pain and stop you from feeling overheated when you are using it. This product is made from high-density foam and has a washable cover. It is also hypoallergenic which means that it is a great product to use if you are worried about allergies.
Leg Positioner Pillow for Side Sleeping
If you regularly sleep on your side then you may experience different problems and need an alternative to the pillows that we have discussed so far. Sleeping on your side is not great at helping you to keep your spine and hips aligned which can create back pain. This can be helped by using a special leg positioner pillow to keep the correct alignment when you are asleep.
This ComfiLife Orthopedic Knee pillow is perfect to use if you are having problems with back pain or sciatica. It can also be used if you are experiencing sciatica. Just pop it between your knees to keep the correct body position and use it whilst you are sleeping.
These knee pillows are sometimes also used post-surgery such as after hip resurfacing operations to prevent dislocation. Surgeons like to make sure that people just out of surgery keep their hips in the correct position to stop any problems whilst the hip is healing. If you are about to have hip surgery it might be worth asking your doctor if this is something that you might need.
Prop Up your Feet When You are Pregnant
As you are not likely to be using the pillow in the long term you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune to get great results. The LightEase Leg Elevating Wedge is a great budget option and is made from memory foam. This design is slightly different as it has a double arc which not only takes the pressure of your legs and feet but also off your knees as well.
Post Surgery Leg Elevation Pillow
Feet elevation pillows come into their own post-surgery and are essential to ensure proper healing and blood circulation after many major operations such as knee or hip replacements. When you have had major surgery your body has undergone a form of trauma and it is necessary to try and get it to heal as quickly and simply as possible.
Just about every surgeon will recommend rest and feet elevation after surgery because it helps to reduce swelling and pain and assists you in healing quicker. In addition, when you have your legs elevated you are lowering the risk of deep vein thrombosis which can be deadly in some cases.
As it is likely that doctors will only operate on one hip or knee at a time to help you stay mobile you may only need a leg elevation pillow to support that particular limb. The LightEase Memory Foam Support is ideal in this situation and can be used when you are awake as well as in bed.
Ortho Wedges for Back and Posture
Back pain and bad posture are responsible for a huge amount of time off by employees. These problems can be because of mechanical issues with our bodies, bad posture or being sat hunched at a desk all day. Using an ortho wedge can be a great way of helping to alleviate existing back pain or preventing it in the first place.
This InteVision Ortho Bed Wedge Pillow can be used to help you to get your spine to relax and alleviate the pain. This particular pillow has a bamboo cover that you can wash and even comes with additional pillowcases so it is great if you are planning to use something over the long term.
Foot Elevation Pillows and Digestion
Finally, most people never think about leg rests and digestion but in fact, foot elevation pillows are extremely useful if you have problems with IBS or stomach issues such as constipation. When you prop up your legs with one of these pillows you are helping to move blood flow into the center of your body which can help with digestion. Those raised legs can help your intestines to do their work more easily and help the digestive process.
Many of these foot elevation pillows can also be used to help GERD (acid reflux) which is why we love this Healthex Bed Wedge Pillow which has a dual use. You can use it as an alternative pillow to help prop up your upper body and stop reflux as well as help with problems such as snoring and even puffy eyes. Yet turn it the other way and place your feed on it and it will prop up your legs. This is why this pillow is one of our favorites because it can be used in so many different ways.
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