We all have a resounding ‘one’ to the question, ‘How many hearts are there in your body?’, but what if we were to tell you that our body doesn’t have one, but two hearts?
And this second heart, although not located in the heart cavity, is equally important for maintaining blood circulation throughout the body.
Where this second heart is hidden and how it contributes to keeping the body healthy and functioning is what we are going to cover in our blog.
The second heart and the circulatory system
The circulatory system delivers oxygen to different cells throughout the body. It is comprised of vital organs and vessels, namely the heart, arteries, veins, capillaries, and, of course, the blood that is carried by these vessels. With the assistance of arteries and capillaries, the heart draws blood containing oxygen(oxygenated blood) from the lungs and pumps it to millions of cells in the body. Once the cells have captured the oxygen and have been fed, the deoxygenated blood goes back to the heart through veins, which constitute the venous system. This blood is then re-oxygenated in the lungs.
This is where the second heart comes into the picture.
There are two types of networks of veins that run through our bodies. One is the deep vein system, which has large veins that run close to the bones, and the other one has superficial ones that are present under the skin; those are the veins that we can sometimes see. These two systems meet at two junctions within the body. One is at the groin, and the other behind the knees. The proper flow of blood within the venous system without a backlash is the result of the heart’s pumping force and the contraction of the calf muscles, which consist of the soleus muscles and other muscles. The veins open and close with the help of valves with each muscle contraction. This muscle-vein-valve system is the second heart.
The job of the second heart is not an easy one, as it has to pump blood back to the heart against gravity.
The system is called the second heart because it assists the heart in returning the deoxygenated blood and distributing the blood efficiently in the lower regions of the body.
When the second heart doesn’t function normally
When you don’t move your calf muscles for a prolonged period, it can cause the second heart to not function normally. This results in:
- Blood and toxins accumulating in the legs, leading to swelling and fatigue.
- Blood clots forming in the veins, causing serious health conditions like deep vein thrombosis, leading to severe pain, swelling, and multiple other medical conditions like varicose veins, spider veins, etc.
- Additional burden on the heart and affecting the cardiovascular wellness.
How to keep the calf muscles and the second heart activated?
The key to activating calf muscles is movement. Sitting for a long time, a sedentary lifestyle, and a lack of physical activity can all lead to the weakening of calf muscles.
This is what you can do
1- Walk- Doctors and other medical professionals have been advocating walking for several health reasons. This one can be called the most important one. Each step you take while you walk contracts the calf muscles to raise the flow of blood to the upper part of the body. A brisk 20-minute walk during the day can do the trick.
2- Exercise- This one has been shouted from the rooftops for decades now. Exercises like calf raises, calf stretches, and ankle rotations have significant positive effects on the blood circulation.
3-Regular movement- If you are one of those at a desk job, the idea is to stand up and move every 30 minutes instead of sitting for long hours.
4- Compression- For immobile people, using compression socks is an effective way to improve blood circulation. Compression socks can also be used during long hours of travel.
The benefits of calf muscles being healthy means no clot formation and swelling as a consequence of improved blood flow, elevated energy levels as a result of improved delivery of oxygen and nutrients, faster recovery time in case of an injury or illness since calf muscles will be stronger and able to circulate blood properly, and a fit and less loaded cardiovascular system.
If you need help with calf strengthening exercises, our skilled and vigilant physical therapists can help you save and keep the second heart in your body running healthily and well.
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