It seems like a fair amount of veteran cyclists develop (degenerate?) varicose veins. I’m wondering, is this an illusion? Are cyclists any more likely to suffer from this condition than people from the general population? What causes this? Any way to prevent it?
Those are not “varicose” veins, but “normal” veins that are more pronouced under the skin w/ little to no fat and more muscular development (think bodybuilder). Also, muscular hypertrophy induces vein formation.
Varicosities are formed via incompetent valves, thus causing the vein to engorge (I won’t go into details about the 3 type of veins/valves, etc.) and general leg swelling and discoloration from hemosiderin deposition.
Those are not “varicose” veins, but “normal” veins that are more pronouced under the skin w/ little to no fat and more muscular development (think bodybuilder). Also, muscular hypertrophy induces vein formation.
Varicosities are formed via incompetent valves, thus causing the vein to engorge (I won’t go into details about the 3 type of veins/valves, etc.) and general leg swelling and discoloration from hemosiderin deposition.
Don’t you hate it when somebody gets on here and just spews bullshit like they know something?
Yeah, docs are so full of themselves, it’s annoying.
So basically, a lot of veteran cyclists just have ugly veins, but they are working just fine. The big gnarly veins that are all squiggly like they can’t make up their mind which way to go are a bit unsightly, and I generally thought those might be of the varicose variety. Why don’t they just take a direct route? What’s with the back and forth action like a sin wave?
Evidently I have the faulty valves. Vein is engorged in right leg. Elevate the leg and the vein disappears. I saw a vascular doc. (don’t remember what that specialty is called). He didn’t seem to think it was a big deal but I am wondering if I have options for treatment or at least things I can do to lessen the damage over time.
There are lots of options for treatment, but none that you want right now. You can wear some compression stocking to help some under your pants if you will be standing/walking a lot. Vein stripping or a valvulotomy with a harmonic scalpel are a last resort 
Like George’s left leg?
That is exactly what my right leg looks like. Almost identical. As I understand it, the enlarged vein is not the problem. It is making up for the bad one.