To stand or not to stand?

Standing desks are all the rage at workplaces now. But are they actually good for your health?

Dr. Cindy Asbjornsen says that specific to vein health, the short answer is: maybe.

In 2015, a meta-analysis in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that “prolonged sedentary time was independently associated with deleterious health outcomes regardless of physical activity." 

The studies showed that physical inactivity (the fourth-leading risk factor for death for people all around the world, according to the World Health Organization) can lead to premature death from cardiovascular issues and cancer, as well as cause chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes.

Too much sitting can also increase the risk of getting varicose veins. If you already have vein issues, you may notice that symptoms get worse after sitting for prolonged periods of time.

So is standing any better? Compared with the research on prolonged sitting, relatively little research has been done to study the health effects of prolonged occupational standing. The few studies that do exist have demonstrated a relationship between prolonged standing at work and various health outcomes such as elevated risk of heart disease and musculoskeletal pain. 

We covered this subject in a previous issue of Vein Health News. In the article “Standing on the job: How at-risk occupations put a strain on veins,” we discussed the risks of people with jobs that keep them on their feet all day, such as teachers, hair dressers, medical professionals, and many others. We can add to that list people who work at a standing desk all day.

From a venous standpoint (so to speak), remaining in the same position too long – whether you’re sitting or standing – leads to poor blood circulation (hydrostatic venous pressure) and blood pooling in the lower limbs, which can lead to varicose veins over time.

If you do opt for a standing desk, consider using a balance board to keep you continuously contracting and relaxing your calf muscles, not to mention strengthening your core muscles. (Whether this helps with work productivity depends on the individual!)


If you choose to stick with a traditional sitting desk, an exercise ball chair, motion stool, or “wobble chair,” can provide you with the same kind of calf muscle readjustments throughout the day.

There are also adjustable desks that allow you to switch between sitting and standing positions throughout the day.

In conclusion, if you find standing desks more comfortable or effective, then by all means, use one. 

Regardless of the kind of desk you use, take regular breaks from standing or sitting for extended periods of time. Set your alarm to remind you to take a brief walk, or simply do some deep knee bends, or other stretching exercises. 

Perhaps the simplest circulation-promoting exercise is the calf pump. In this simple toe-tap exercise, you tap both of your feet for a minute or two, going back and forth between heels and toes. This squeezes the deep veins in the legs and forces the blood to circulate through the leg. It feels great whether you’ve been sitting or standing for a long period of time. 

To learn more about venous health and treatment of varicose veins, spider veins, and related issues, contact us at the Vein Healthcare Center.

Healthy Veins seminar with Dr. Cindy

Dr. Cindy Asbjornsen, Founder of the Vein Healthcare Center, truly loves to educate people -- patients and doctors, alike -- about vein health.

Dr. Asbjornsen recently gave a community seminar at Coastal Pharmacy & Wellness in Portland, Maine, where she discussed the basics of how veins work...and what to do when they don't. And, she explained what phlebology is!

Participants asked tons of great questions, including what do do about the so-called "Economy Class Syndrome" and DVT. 

Dr. Asbjornsen explained that you don't need to be in economy class (or even on an airplane) to be at risk for bad circulation. It's really about sitting in the same position for too long. A long car ride, for example, can have the same effect. 

Dr. Cindy's simple and practical advice for keeping your veins healthy during a lengthy car ride is three-fold. One, do the calf pump frequently (also known as "the foot pump"). Two, stay hydrated. Three, stop for restroom breaks! That will get your calf muscles moving AND give you a reason to keep drinking water during the ride.

Click here to watch the vein seminar. Click here to contact schedule an appointment, or to ask us any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

Meet our team, part 2

In our last post we introduced you to Manny and Brad, our Technical Director and  Vascular Ultrasound Technician, respectively.

We'd like to introduce you to some people you are also likely to encounter as a patient of the Vein Healthcare Center.

Throughout your time at VHC, our receptionist Mallory Parlin may be the first person You'll talk to-- and the last! She schedules new patients and assists them with paperwork, as well as answers questions about insurance or compression. Mallory's goal is to make sure that patients leave her desk without any worries.

Our medical assistants are Meghan Lanci and Hayley Quirion. Both Meghan and Hayley prepare patients for their appointments, assist with procedures, and provide administrative support. And both strive to make patients feel comfortable and welcome.

The Vein Healthcare Center runs smoothly, thanks in large part to Sarah Tremblay, VHC's Office Manager. Her role is to plan the schedule, handle insurance authorizations, and answer any questions patients may have about their coverage. Before becoming Office Manager a year ago, Sarah was Dr. Asbjornsen's medical assistant for four years. She says that after working at VHC for more than five years now, she's seen many patients improve their overall health.  

If you'd like to learn more about your venous health, click here. And if you'd like to learn more about our staff, click here. We're looking forward to working with you toward better health!

Dos and don'ts for holiday healthy legs

Venous disease -- including spider veins, varicose veins, and leg ulcers -- does not stop for the holidays. But don't worry! We at the Vein Healthcare Center in Maine, have some tips to help you alleviate the symptoms of vein disease and prevent them from getting worse.

As you're out and about this holiday season, DO wear loose-fitting clothing. Santa’s red suit, for example, is roomy and comfortable and wouldn’t impede circulation in his lower body.

DO walk for at least thirty minutes a day-- like in a mall or large department store! The calf muscle contractions caused by walking can go a long way toward venous disease prevention and help keep the muscles of the lower legs healthy. And when you're out and on your feet, DO take a break every hour or so.

Now for a few DON'Ts. DON'T wear high-heeled shoes (or boots), as they shorten the muscles in your calf and prevent deep veins from working at their full capacity.

If you're taking any holiday trips long distances -- by plane, train, or automobile -- DON'T forget to wear compression stockings to keep the blood in your lower limbs moving in the right direction.

This last DON'T shouldn't surprise you: DON'T smoke. Smoking (even a corncob pipe) and exposure to second-hand smoke constricts veins and affects overall circulation.

Tips like these can help alleviate (or prevent) the symptoms of vein disease, but if you are experiencing symptoms, consider being screened by a Board-certified phlebologist like Dr. Cindy Asbjornsen. Contact us to schedule an evaluation appointment, or to find out more about vein health and treatment.

It’s almost shorts season

"I just wanted to be able to look at my legs and not feel awful. For the first summer in 25 years, I wore shorts and did not feel embarrassed." - Shaye R. 

"I wore a skirt for the first time in decades." - Jane S.

"Even though I'm only 30, I gave up caring what my legs looked like, but now you can see the shape of my legs again!” - Lisa F.

For these former patients of the Vein Healthcare Center, their main goal was to make their legs feel better. But after vein treatment, they were delighted to find that their legs also look better.

As summer approaches -- shorts and skirts weather -- it can be emotionally difficult for those with visible vein disease to enjoy their time out and about. At the Vein Healthcare Center, our philosophy is that patients who want to treat their problematic veins aren't being vain, they want to improve their health and quality of life. Being comfortable with their legs in public is part of that quality of life.

To hear more about patient experiences at the Vein Healthcare Center before and after venous treatment, check out Perspectives, a resource you can download and share.

Education is an important first step toward better vein health. The next step is to receive a complete evaluation. To schedule a new patient visit, call us at (207) 221-7799 or request an appointment online. 

Listen to your legs

Sometimes venous disease is very obvious. Bulging, twisty veins that wrap around your legs is one manifestation. Purple spidery veins on the backs of your thighs may be another. But there are other, more subtle clues that your veins may not be working as well as they should.

Do your legs sometimes feel achy or throbbing? Do you have leg cramps in the middle of the night? Are your legs exhausted by the end of the day?

These may be signs of vein disease, and it's best not to ignore them for a couple of reasons. For one thing, your body is trying to tell you something is wrong. Waiting for the issues to go away on their own may actually make them worse as time goes on. If you find out what the problem is, you can take steps to fix it!

Sue, age 63, from North Yarmouth, Maine is one of our patients at the Vein Healthcare Center. Here's what Sue had to say about her own experience:

“I work at a daycare and when I came home at the end of the day, my legs were like cement. I could not move them. It was affecting me tremendously but because it didn’t hurt, I had no idea my veins were the problem. I had EVLA done in both legs, and they felt much lighter right away.”

You can read more patient experiences like Sue's by clicking here. If you are having issues with your legs that you can't quite explain, take a look at this list of questions, and see if you can relate. Finally, contact us at the Vein Healthcare Center to make an appointment for an evaluation of your venous system. There may be a way to fix the problem.

Love your feet

If you take care of your feet, they’ll take care of you! In our latest issue of Vein Health News, we look at ways to treat sore feet and legs for people who work on their feet for long periods of time.

We spoke to Ginger LeClair, a nail technician at Coco Cheveux Salon in South Portland, Maine. Nurses, doctors, and pharmacists – men and women – make up about 20% of her clientele.

Here are a few of Ms. LeClair’s expert tips for keeping your feet feeling good:

• The most common foot problem I see is general foot fatigue from standing for hours on end.
• Rough, dry heels are another common issue. If left untreated, the dryness can eventually lead to painful cracks (fissures), which is harder to remedy. Once they start, they usually just get worse.
• Use a pumice block when you shower to clean away any dead or rough skin on the heels.
• Apply a foot cream at night, so it absorbs while you're at rest.

If you are having foot or leg discomfort, pain, or extreme fatigue at the end of the day, schedule an evaluation at the Vein Healthcare Center to find out if it's venous (vein) related. There are modern treatments that are minimally invasive so you can get back to work!

We love compression!

At the Vein Healthcare Center, we talk about graduated compression. A lot. 


In fact, Dr. Asbjornsen wears 20-30mmHg socks or stockings almost every day. Doctors are always on their feet, and graduated compression fights—and beats—gravity, keeping the blood circulating from the legs back up to the heart.


In our last issue of Vein Health News, the cover story was all about caring for your legs and feet when you’re constantly using them. Our colleague Tom Musone from the compression company Juzo gave us six tips about how to use compression to make your legs feel better:

1. Wearing compression every day can prevent edema (leg swelling), alleviate venous symptoms, and make your legs feel better overall.

2. Make sure you wear graduated compression stockings. That means the pressure is highest at the foot and ankle and gradually decreases as the garment rises up the leg. This pressure gradient makes it easier for the body to pump blood up towards the heart and more difficult for gravity to pull blood downward.

3. Compression also increases the pressure in the subcutaneous tissue, which helps to reduce and prevent swelling by moving excess fluid back into the capillaries.

4. Gradient compression is expressed in millimeters of mercury, or mmHg. Unless otherwise directed by a medical professional, look for 15-20 mmHg or 20-30 mmHg.

5. Current evidence supports wearing either knee-high or thigh-high style compression stockings when standing for prolonged periods. A good fit is the most important factor.

6. Get fitted by a certified fitter to find the brand, product, and style that’s right for you. These days there are dozens to choose from.


Dr. Asbjornsen swears that even if she weren’t a vein specialist prescribing compression stockings to patients, she would still tout the benefits of wearing it, because her legs feel so good at the end of the day!


If you have any questions about graduated compression for venous relief, prevention, or both, contact us at the Vein Healthcare Center. We’re happy to educate about the benefits of compression.

Dr. Cindy Asbjornsen on Catching Health

Earlier this spring, our own Dr. Cindy Asbjornsen spoke with health reporter Diane Atwood on her podcast on the Catching Health blog.

Their topics of conversation were far ranging, everything from how a clot in the deep vein system could possibly cause a stroke, to why blood appears blue in the veins.

Dr. Asbjornsen also explains why vein treatment is NOT a one-size-fits-all proposition. And she talks about how anyone can get deep vein thrombosis -- even someone playing a video game (for many hours in a row). Who knew talking about veins could be so interesting?

This isn't the first time Dr. Asbjornsen has appeared on Catching Health. She wrote a guest post on Catching Health about when you should ask your doctor about your vein problems.

We hope you'll give the Catching Health podcast a listen!

Click here to learn more about Dr. Asbjornsen and her practice the Vein Healthcare Center.

Are varicose veins a cosmetic issue or a medical issue?

This is a question we get at the Vein Healthcare Center all the time.  Most healthcare providers would agree that if a patient is having pain and is unable to perform his or her work due to varicose veins, then it is medically necessary.

But all factors must be weighed when drawing a line between medical and “simply cosmetic,” not the least of which is restoring patients’ confidence and overall well-being. Even if a patient isn’t experiencing physical pain – but won’t swim in a pool or wear shorts to the beach because he’s ashamed of varicose veins – her quality of life is markedly diminished.

Additionally, it is common for venous disorders to be undiagnosed or undertreated. It’s important to remember that varicose veins are a symptom of early stage venous disease, and if left untreated could lead to larger medical issues.

From the perspective of insurance companies the difference between “cosmetic” and “medical” may be whether or not a vein has a connection to the deep system; if it does and the connection is leaking, then they consider treatment medical necessary. That said, there are many vein procedures that are covered by insurance, and one should not assume that treatment won’t be covered. Feel free to contact us at VHC to discuss the details of your coverage.

At VHC, our basic philosophy is that treating problematic veins isn’t about vanity – it’s about health and quality of life.

If you’re not sure whether or not you have vein disease, click here to find out more.

Educational video about veins

We’re going to continue sharing multimedia resources for learning more about veins.

Several years ago, the American College of Phlebology (ACP), in partnership with KAET-TV in Phoenix, AZ, produced a video called "Vein Health: Discoveries, New Technologies & Breakthroughs." The hour-long program leads viewers through the basics of vein disease, and then addresses specific treatment options, misconceptions, and questions from the studio audience with two physician panels.

“Vein Health: Discoveries, New Technologies & Breakthroughs" is hosted by Dr. Helane Fronek, a true pioneer in the field of phlebology. We hope you’ll learn a lot as you watch this video. If you have any additional questions about vein disease or treatment, give us a call or send us an email at the Vein Healthcare Center.

Podcasts about vein health

Whether you’re exercising at the gym, cleaning your house, or commuting in your car, podcasts are an easy, efficient way to be informed or entertained. There are two excellent podcasts about vein health and the practice of vein care.

The “Healthy Veins, Healthy Legs” podcast is adapted from an hour-long radio show hosted by Dr. Robert Kistner of the Kistner Vein Clinic and Mike Buck. The show covers all aspects of venous disease, ailments of the legs, and the latest and most effective treatment options. The conversations are lively and were recorded in Hawaii!

“VeinCast” is a monthly podcast intended for those involved in the treatment of venous and lymphatic disease. The podcast, sponsored by the American College of Phlebology Foundation, is co-hosted by Dr. Todd Hansen of Carolina Vein Associates and Dr. Albert Malvehy of Miami Beach Vein Institute.

Last year, Drs. Hansen and Malvehy were participants in the inaugural ACP Leadership Academy. The teammates (mentored by Vein Healthcare Center’s very own Dr. Asbjornsen) share a background in Emergency Medicine and were interested in sharing information using the podcast format.

Said Dr. Hansen: “I have been a avid podcast enthusiast for many years, so I had a natural affinity for this project. Access to ‘on demand’ information suits my needs and allows me to make best use of time by listening to informative and freely available information on a wide range of topics.”  

“VeinCast” explores topics related to vein care, practice management, new technologies, and the wide range of issues that physicians face practicing phlebology. In addition to being a convenient resource for anyone interested in the practice of vein care, the podcast provides added value to current members of the American College of Phlebology (ACP). Dr. Hansen also hopes that it will drive membership by attracting new professionals to the ACP: “This podcast is one small way that we can contribute to the future of phlebology.”

Click here to listen to “Healthy Veins, Healthy Legs.”

Click here to listen to “VeinCast.”