Former US Olympian stands tall against varicose veins

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Only ten percent of those afflicted with varicose veins have them treated. A known member of this small population is 41-year-old Summer Sanders, a former US Olympian and gold medalist. A woman like her—life-long athlete, former Olympic swimmer, TV show host, sports commentator, and a mom of two—has her to-do list filled with activities that have her on her feet. But even a celebrity like her is not exempt from having chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) or varicose veins. Celebrity women, despite their access to medical treatments, are just as susceptible as other women to varicose veins.

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When Sanders realized she was constantly in pain and feeling more fatigued in her legs, she immediately sought a vein specialist. She learned that her condition may have been caused by the weight she carried during her pregnancy, always being on her feet, or simple genetics. Most people think that varicose veins are related to age. This is a false assumption, as women as young as Sanders, and even younger, could have them.

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Varicose veins are degenerative, but according to Sanders, this should not always be the case. There have been developments in their treatment. Sanders Rethink Varicose Veins, a campaign aiming to educate people about  more serious health implications, was started by the Society for Vascular Surgery, American Venous Forum, and the American College of Phlebology.


Dr. Raymond Little specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of varicose veins and spider veins using sclerotherapy, surgical vein stripping, and other advanced techniques. Learn more about varicose vein treatments on this twitter page.