Editor’s note: The calves are the driving force behind blood circulation, helping the venous blood flow back to the heart. If the calves are stiff, the blood will not be able to return to the heart. This article introduces four types of massage and exercise methods which use calf movements to help with the smooth flow of blood and body fluids, thus rendering the heart stronger.
Calves are Vascular Pumps to Help Blood Flow Back to the Heart
The blood sent from the heart transports nutrients and oxygen through the blood vessels to the microvasculature throughout the body. During the process, a portion of the blood leaks out of the blood vessels to replenish nutrients for the cells of the subcutaneous tissues and to absorb the waste materials and carbon dioxide, and it then reenters the blood vessels and flows back to the heart. This process takes about 60 seconds, and this cycle will continue as long as the person is alive.The blood vessels that transport blood from the heart are arteries, and the vessels that return blood to the heart are veins.
