A man has been standing in one place without moving for a long time. You walk by and notice that his ankles are swollen. What is a likely explanation for this observation?
A) Since the man has not flexed his leg muscles, blood has not moved upward through the veins so it stays pooled at his ankles.
B) The man's blood pressure has likely increased because of inactivity, and thus the blood has pooled at his ankles.
C) Since the man hasn't flexed his leg muscles, blood has not moved upward through the arteries so it stays pooled at his ankles.
D) The man's heart rate has likely increased because of inactivity, and thus the blood has pooled at his ankles.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the man has been standing in one place without moving, the blood in the veins has not been properly circulated upward through the leg muscles. As a result, it pools at the lowest point, which is the ankles, causing them to swell. The other options are not likely explanations for this observation.

A Man Has Been Standing in One Place Without Moving