Question:medium
Venous return to the heart during quiet standing is facilitated by all of the following factors, except:
Venous return to the heart during quiet standing is facilitated by all of the following factors, except:
Show Hint
Gravity makes blood pool in the legs while standing, so it hinders venous return.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Calf muscle contraction during standing
- Valves in perforators
- Sleeves of deep fascia
- Gravitational increase in arterial pressure
Show Solution
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
The phrasing asks for the odd one out: which listed item does not help blood get back up to the heart while a person stands still.
Standing is a challenge for venous return because blood tends to pool in the legs. The body counters this with several aids. The calf muscle pump is the leading one, since each calf contraction milks the deep veins upward. The valves in the perforating veins keep that flow one way, channelling blood from superficial to deep veins and blocking reflux. The firm deep fascia wrapping the calf turns muscle contraction into effective venous compression, sharpening the pump.
Gravity is the outlier. Standing increases the column of blood, raising pressure in the dependent veins and encouraging pooling in the legs. While the arterial pressure at the feet also rises, the net gravitational effect works against returning blood to the heart rather than helping it. That makes the gravitational increase in arterial pressure the exception.
\[\boxed{\text{Gravitational increase in arterial pressure}}\]
Standing is a challenge for venous return because blood tends to pool in the legs. The body counters this with several aids. The calf muscle pump is the leading one, since each calf contraction milks the deep veins upward. The valves in the perforating veins keep that flow one way, channelling blood from superficial to deep veins and blocking reflux. The firm deep fascia wrapping the calf turns muscle contraction into effective venous compression, sharpening the pump.
Gravity is the outlier. Standing increases the column of blood, raising pressure in the dependent veins and encouraging pooling in the legs. While the arterial pressure at the feet also rises, the net gravitational effect works against returning blood to the heart rather than helping it. That makes the gravitational increase in arterial pressure the exception.
\[\boxed{\text{Gravitational increase in arterial pressure}}\]
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