Venous leg ulcer
Overview
A leg ulcer is a long-lasting (chronic) sore that takes more than 2 weeks to heal. It usually develops on the inside of the leg, between the knee and the ankle.
Causes
A venous leg ulcer is the most common type of leg ulcer, accounting for more than 60% of all cases. Venous leg ulcers can develop after a minor injury, if persistently high pressure in the veins of the legs has weakened the skin. Find out more about the causes of venous leg ulcers
Prevention
There are several ways to help prevent developing a venous leg ulcer in people at risk. These include: wearing compression stockingslosing weight if you're overweightexercising regularlyelevating your leg when possiblestopping smoking if you smoke These measures are particularly important if you previously had a leg ulcer. This is because you're at increased risk of having another one in the same leg within months or years. Find out how to prevent venous leg ulcers