Sport and exercise activate the calf muscle pump by which blood is transported back to the heart.

Particular suitable sports include hiking, power walking (also Nordic walking with poles), cycling, cross-country skiing, inline skating (here poles can be used to simulate the skating technique from cross-country skiing), aqua jogging, swimming, dancing, golf, fitness training on endurance equipment (e.g. stepper, cross trainer, bicycle ergometer) or special vein exercises.

People with pronounced varicose veins, a history of thrombosis (venous occlusion) or phlebitis (inflammation of the veins) must be more cautious in choosing their sport. Sports that can be considered particularly suitable are power walking, hiking, cycling, golf, dancing, swimming, aqua-aerobics or aqua jogging and in the winter, cross-country skiing. All kinds of sports involving the development of high strength and abrupt stopping movements must be avoided. These include body building but also jogging, high-impact aerobics, badminton, handball or football. Downhill skiing and snowboarding are also unsuitable.

Those who want to relax in the sauna after sporting activity should bear in mind that the legs should be kept up in the sauna and rest room, and thoroughly showered with cold water after each visit to the sauna. But for patients with deep vein thrombosis, the sauna is an absolute taboo.