Stay away from non-medical on-line information. Follow your surgeon's instructions. I recommend my patients gradually return to their normal routines, not just jump right back into it. They can resume treadmill and elliptical almost immediately with gradual building up to normal weights, yoga and pilates.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

I tell my patients to get back to all routine activity post ablation procedures as soon as they feel physically able. There is a lot of talk about the possibility of reopening a vein after an ablation with increased intraabdominal pressure as in weight lifting but this is just theory and there is nothing to prove this is so. The concept is that by increasing the intraabdominal pressure the vein can reopen. I do not believe this. The most common causes of reopening of closed veins are failure to completely close the vein on the initial treatment or the development of reflux through other valves in other veins (collaterals, accessory, perforators).

Published on Jul 11, 2012

We want our patient to wait at least one week after the procedure. If the vein closed is very large, I might extend that limitation another week.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

There are different opinions regarding this issue and, in my practice, I tell patients not to lift anything above 40 pounds for 2 days after venous ablation. After that, you resume all the things that you want to do.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

There is no chance of reopening a vein that has been properly ablated. Recanalization may occur, but it is very unusual, and it happens months or years later.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

I usually do not recommend heavy squats or lunges where you are bearing straight down. I usually recommend staying active with walking and other activities, but no heavy weights where you are standing straight upright for a few weeks.

Published on Jul 11, 2012