Johnny Vegas tells James Martin he's nervous with maple syrup
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Over the most recent coronavirus lockdown, the actor and comedian, who has starred in programmes such as ITV sitcom Benidorm and BBC’s Still Open All Hours took some time to grieve both of his parents, who he has lost in recent years. It was the memory of his father Laurence in particular that urged Johnny to support a campaign with leading compression and wound care company Lohmann & Rauscher (L&R), in order to educate people on the importance of self-care in the management of venous leg ulcers, something that Johnny himself might be at risk of developing.
Sharing his father’s problems with poor circulation in the lower limbs, Johnny went on to say that it was something his relative always tried to hide, never feeling “comfy” addressing the issue.
In a video for L&R Medical UK back in 2021, Johnny said: “What I have learnt from my dad is, don’t choose somewhere in the room to look at because you don’t want to look at your legs because you don’t want to acknowledge what’s going on.
“That’s my thing, and I think if I want to be around for as long as I deserve to be around it’s no good me sitting there and telling you what you need to learn from my dad’s example, I need to learn from my dad’s example.
“My dad and relatives on his side had poor circulation in the lower limbs, swollen legs and feet and broken skin.
“Despite surviving an aneurysm and beating cancer, and being open in doing so, the condition of his legs was not up for discussion. Any query, comment or attempt to lighten the discomfort of this particular ailment was considered by him to be a bit too below the belt.
“It could be on the horizon for me, so I need to get into better habits and adopt this as a routine, like brushing your teeth, standing on tiptoes going up and down, similar to aeroplane exercises.”
Healthcare company L&R explain that if your relatives have had varicose veins, chronic oedema or a wound on their leg that doesn’t heal easily, your risk of developing lower limb conditions is increased.
The early signs and symptoms that may indicate that you may be at risk of developing a lower limb condition include:
- Spider and superficial veins
- Tired achy legs
- Swollen legs and feet
- Ankle flare
- Scaly, itchy or dry skin
- Varicose veins
- Reddish or brown skin staining.
These symptoms can be signs of potentially serious conditions such as varicose eczema, leg ulcers or lymphoedema.
Johnny’s father Laurence suffered from a venous leg ulcer, an open wound below the knee or on the foot which fails to heal after two weeks.
L&R goes on to explain that leg ulcers are caused by poor circulation. This can be due to the blood in your leg veins not returning to the heart efficiently, or arterial blood from your heart not reaching the wound as well as it should, or a combination of both.
Crucially, without treatment the condition will not get better. The NHS adds that if pain worsens or there is any unpleasant discharge coming from the ulcer, this could be a sign of infection. At this stage the need for specialist medical treatment is even greater.
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In order to treat leg ulcers, the area needs to be appropriately dressed and cleaned. A firm compression bandage will also be put on your leg in order to improve circulation in veins. These bandages are designed to squeeze your legs and encourage blood to flow upwards towards your heart.
Once the ulcer has healed, the daily wearing of compression socks or tights reduces the likelihood of the ulcer returning.
In order to help prevent the condition from either recurring or developing in the first place, individuals can try a number of things including leg exercises, losing weight and taking care of their skin.
L&R explain that simple exercises help to improve circulation and reduce swelling. These can be as simple as raising and lowering the heels whilst sitting down, or raising and lowering the whole leg whilst flexing the foot.
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Talking about his personal experience with adding these exercises into his daily routine, Johnny said: “It’s not the end of the world. It’s just the start of a different regime, and a different regime means a better quality of life.”
Trying to walk at least 30 minutes a day, as well as remaining a healthy weight will help to strengthen muscles and reduce the risk of problems in your feet and legs.
In addition to this, ways in which individuals can look after their skin include:
- Try to moisturise your legs with an unscented moisturiser every night before bed
- Apply moisturiser in line with hair growth to prevent irritation
- Check your skin for any changes such as breaks, cracks and swelling.
Quitting smoking and eating a healthy diet are also ways in which your overall health will improve.
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