Why do your legs hurt more in summer?

Heavy legs in summer. If in these months you notice they swell at the end of the day, it’s hard to put on shoes in the afternoon, or you feel tired in a way you didn’t in winter... it’s not you suddenly getting old in June. It’s because of the heat — and there’s an explanation and a much simpler solution than it seems.

In this guide, we will see why heat causes leg swelling, the role your venous and lymphatic system plays in all this, and how pressotherapy can really help you.

Why legs swell in the heat

The first thing is to understand what happens to your body when temperatures rise. Heat causes what is called vasodilation: the veins widen to help dissipate body heat. It’s a natural and necessary mechanism to regulate temperature — but it has an uncomfortable side effect.

When the veins dilate, blood circulates more slowly and tends to accumulate in the lower part of the body, especially if you spend many hours standing or sitting. At the same time, some of the fluid inside the vessels leaks into the tissues, and that’s when swelling, heaviness, and often pain appear.

The venous and lymphatic system: the pump that fails in summer

This is where a system that is rarely talked about but is key comes into play: the venous system and the lymphatic system. The veins have to return blood from the feet to the heart, that is, against gravity. To achieve this, they have valves and, above all, the help of the leg muscles, which act as a pump every time you walk.

The lymphatic system, on the other hand, is responsible for collecting excess fluid from the tissues. When it’s hot, we move less or spend many hours still, and that muscle pump works less. The result is well known: swollen, tired, and aching legs.

What is pressotherapy and how does it work

Pressotherapy is a treatment based on air chambers that inflate and deflate sequentially over the leg. Essentially, it mimics and enhances that muscle pump that sometimes isn’t enough.

The pressotherapy pants inflate starting at the foot and ankle, gradually increasing pressure in an orderly way up to the thigh. This bottom-to-top movement pushes venous blood and lymph in the right direction, helping to empty the leg and prevent fluid buildup. It is, in a way, giving your circulatory system the boost that heat and inactivity are taking away.

▶ Caetano, physiotherapist and commercial director of Wellbeinn, explains in a video why legs swell in summer and how pressotherapy helps

What the science says

And this is not marketing; it is something supported by science. Intermittent pneumatic compression, which is the technical name for pressotherapy, has been used in the medical field for decades precisely to promote venous return and lymphatic drainage.

There are studies showing very significant reductions in limb edema with sequential compression protocols, and it has even been compared to manual lymphatic drainage performed by a physiotherapist, with very similar results in reducing swelling. In other words, we are talking about a proven physical principle, not a passing trend.

What you will notice on a normal day

The first and most immediate effect is relief from the feeling of heaviness. After a session, most people describe their legs as lighter and less congested.

The second benefit is reduction of mild swelling, the kind that appears from standing for many hours, a long car or plane trip, or simply from heat. The third is the feeling of muscle rest and relaxation, because that rhythmic massage helps release accumulated tension.

And if you exercise, pressotherapy is a very popular tool to help your legs feel more recovered, although it’s important to be honest: the evidence on whether it actually speeds up deep muscle recovery is mixed. What is clear is that most athletes report less feeling of fatigue in their legs.

Does pressotherapy help you lose weight?

A very common question is whether pressotherapy helps with weight loss. And here we need to be clear and honest: pressotherapy does not burn fat or truly cause weight loss.

What it does do is mobilize retained fluids, which can give the sensation of slimmer or less swollen legs, especially if there is a lot of retention. But that is not fat loss, it is eliminating excess fluid.

How to use it correctly

Much of the result depends on this. Ideally, sessions should last between twenty and thirty minutes with comfortable pressure: it should never hurt. Moderate, sustained intensity is better than squeezing as hard as possible thinking it works better, because it doesn’t.

A great time to use it is at the end of the day, when your legs feel heaviest, or after exercise.

What a good device should have

Look for a pressotherapy machine with sequential compression, meaning it inflates chambers from bottom to top rather than the whole boot at once. It should have several chambers or heads for a more complete treatment. It should allow you to adjust the pressure and time to suit you. And the boots should fit your size well, because a poor fit reduces effectiveness.

Nowadays, home devices have evolved a lot: they are more compact, quieter, and much more affordable than a few years ago, so having pressotherapy at home is no longer something reserved for clinics.

Highfly Pro — Pressotherapy Boots

6 sequential air chambers · Adjustable pressure up to 260 mmHg · +3h wireless battery · Recommended by over 250 physiotherapy centers

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Contraindications — safety first

Pressotherapy should not be used if you have venous thrombosis or suspected blood clots, as the compression could mobilize them. It is also not recommended in cases of severe heart failure, acute skin infections on the leg such as cellulitis, open wounds, or severe arterial disease.

Frequently Asked Questions