Episode 11: Wounds & Swelling

Individuals living with problems of the venous and lymphatic system, such as oedema, heavily exuding wounds, chronic pain and the associated issues of poor quality of life and social isolation, may find they are not best served in a purely clinical environment. This video gives a brief overview of the Leg Club model for lower limb care from a social prescribing perspective kindly provided by Dr Rachel Stow, Lead GP at Wyke Regis Medical Practice.

A behind the scenes look at a typical leg Club conference, one of the most prestigious Wound Care related events in the UK. Wide ranging topics are covered by renowned speakers from the UK and also international.

In our seventh episode, we are honoured to have our first guest speaker - Mark Whiteley - a Professor and Consultant Venous Surgeon and Consultant Phlebologist of The Whiteley Clinic, London. Mark talks through the signs and symptoms of Venous Disease. This is the first of a series of three podcasts. So stay tuned for more! Veins are thin-walled structures inside of which a set of valves keeps blood in the body flowing in one direction. The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body’s tissues through thicker-walled arteries; the veins return that blood to the heart. Veins located close to the surface of the skin are called superficial veins and the veins found in the muscles of the arms and legs are called deep veins. Damaged vein walls hinder the circulatory system, allowing blood to collect and flow in a retrograde (backward) fashion when the muscles relax. This creates an unusually high pressure build-up in the veins. This build-up causes further stretching and twisting of the veins, increased swelling, more valve incompetence, sluggish blood flow and potential blood clot formation. Eventually, this condition can lead to various disorders known as "Venous Disease". Join the Leg Club community around the UK (and beyond) and, together, let's help all generations adapt to a society that benefits all.

In our tenth episode, we welcome back our guest speaker Mark Whiteley - a Professor and Consultant Venous Surgeon and Consultant Phlebologist of The Whiteley Clinic, London. Visit https://thewhiteleyclinic.co.uk/team/... for more information. Mark continues the series relating to Venous Diseases and talks through the current treatment trends in Venous Disease. This is the second of a series of three podcasts. Stay tuned for Part 3! In this episode, Mark reflects on treatment trends for Venous Disease since the mid 1980s and outlines modern techniques including some that he and his team have pioneered which are more effective and minimally invasive with high quality results. For some residual varicose veins in the legs or feet, Mark explains the use of foam sclerotherapy. This involves using ultrasound to precisely guide the injection of foam to close the unhealthy vein. The foam causes the varicose vein to collapse, before it is naturally absorbed back into the body.

Leg Club leaflet for: How to examine your legs, the most common leg problems, do’s & don’ts how compression therapy works

Coronavirus has had a huge impact on some Leg Club venues and continues to do so. Our priority is helping and supporting our volunteers and members (patients) both during and after the c