How to Increase Circulation in Your Legs with and Without Exercise

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There are ways to improve circulation in your legs, no matter what your level of activity — even if you’re lying in bed. We look at specific moves that are useful and include non-exercise tips to help leg circulation.

In this case, movement includes both what you’re able to do using your legs and passive range of motion actions that help.

Any amount of walking is the number one recommendation for improving circulation. You can start small, taking short walks, even just 5 minutes a day.

If you’re able to do more, increase your time or speed gradually.

Studies indicate that even small increases in the amount of time you walk daily can have benefits.

Here are three exercises you can do any time you’re lying down.

They can be especially helpful if you’re on bed rest for any amount of time, such as after surgery, or for any other reason when it's important to maintain circulation in your legs to prevent blood clots.

Start easy with ankle pumps and knee bends. Add in other strengthening exercises as you’re able to.

A healthcare provider can help you to establish an appropriate routine for your condition.

You can do these exercises anytime you’re sitting, whether at a desk, or riding in a car or airplane.

You can vary this exercise by alternating a heel raise and toe raise in a steady rocking motion. Or raise the heel on one foot and the toes on the other foot at the same time.

You can also try this alternating one leg after the other.

You can also get a calf stretch by manually stretching your leg using an exercise strap or any comfortable length of material like a towel or belt.

The same moves people do with a foam roller to reduce muscle tension and stretch muscles can also help with blood flow.

Alternatively, you can move a massage roller stick with your hands over the same areas of your legs while seated on the floor or in a chair.

Avoid going over your joints or bony areas.

Here are basic exercises you can do standing up or as a warm-up before other exercises. They’re also good ways to increase circulation when you take a break from sitting.

You can also do this sitting move with your back directly against the wall.

Yoga is known to improve blood circulation. Other therapeutic effects of yoga include helping to lower blood pressure and to improve flexibility.

Yoga flows can range from gentle to intense. You can try:

Compression stockings can help to improve your blood flow, and to reduce swelling and pain.

The compression comes from a special elastic fabric that's designed to fit tightly over your lower legs and ankles or over your thighs and legs.

A healthcare provider may recommend wearing compression stockings after surgery to prevent blood clots. They may also recommend compression stockings to help with varicose veins or venous insufficiency.

Some people wear compression stockings to keep their legs more comfortable if they have a job where they stand a lot. Support pantyhose, either light or firm support, may also be useful.

Compression stockings come in different levels of compression from mild to extra firm.

They also come in different:

Talk with a healthcare provider about what type and height of compression stockings they recommend for your condition.

You may need to experiment with several combinations to find the most comfortable and effective style for you.

Some prescription strength compression stockings may be covered by your medical insurance, depending on the condition causing your poor circulation.

Lifestyle changes can help increase blood circulation in your legs and overall.

Here are some guidelines:

If you have poor circulation in your legs, you can take specific steps to increase your blood flow.

Increasing your movement is one of the most important steps you can take to improve circulation.

Talk with a healthcare provider. They can help you create a treatment regimen that works best for you.