It is well worth paying attention to both the health and appearance of your legs, for they are far more than purely functional. Indeed, nice legs can be a great beauty asset that can make or break a really good figure. Because legs vary in shape and size so much, there is really no such thing as the 'perfect' pair of legs. The classical long, slender leg, the sturdy, short leg, the fat leg and the thin leg can all look attractive in their own right. The important thing is that you know how to make the most of your legs and how to show them off to their best advantage. You can have nice and beautiful legs by the way you handle them with care.

Legs are composed of four parts the ankle, the calf, the knee and the thigh. It is the proportions of these parts that make up the shape and size of the leg as a whole.

Ankles are the vulnerable bony joint that connect the leg to the foot, It is basically the size and arrangement of the bones, muscles and tendons in this joint that determine the thickness of the ankle itself. There is very little that can be done to alter this structure or arrangement although exercises can help to strengthen it. Consequently, not much can be done permanently to change the shape of a thick or a thin ankle. It is possible, however, to disguise the basic size of the ankle with a clever and subtle use of cosmetic shading. To make thick ankles look thinner, for example, try using a little powder shadow in the hollows below and behind the ankle bones.

One common problem with ankles is that they tend to swell up, especially in hot weather, or after sitting in one place for a long time or on a long flight when the reduced cabin pressure allows the body fluid to drain into the legs. This is quite natural and nothing to worry about. To minimize any discomfort it is a good idea to remove restricting nylon stockings or tights and not to wear closefitting shoes. If, on the other hand, your ankles tend to swell up regularly for no apparent reason or appear to be swollen all the time, it is best to see your doctor as this could be an early sign of some kidney or heart trouble.

Ankles will also swell up simply because they are tired. If you have to stand on your feet all day or know that you have a long way to walk, make a point of wearing a comfortable pair of shoes, preferably with a low heel. When you get home in the evening and your feet are tired, kick off your shoes and sit with your feet up for about 15 minutes. Make sure that they are above the level of your hips, so that the excess fluid can drain out of the legs and thus relieve the pressure on the ankles and feet.

One of the most soothing cures for tired and swollen ankles and feet is to plunge them first into a bowl of hot water and then straight into a bowl of cold water and to continue alternating between these two temperatures making sure that the ankles are fully immersed each time.

If your ankles suffer from water retention and are often puffy, dissolve a cupful of Epsom salts in a bowl of hot water and bathe your feet in this for a while. A vigorous rub with a loofah on and around the ankle will also help to reduce the swelling by stimulating thee circulation and dispersing the fluid.

Moving up from the ankle is the calf, probably the most frequently exposed and scrutinized part of the whole leg. The shape and size of the calf depends upon the arrangement and development of the calf muscles. These are the muscles that are largely employed in walking, running and general leg movement. If someone has been trained as a ballet dancer or as an ice skater or plays a lot of sport, for example, he or she will inevitably have well developed calf muscles. There is virtually nothing that can be done to reduce the size of large muscular calves. Exercises, will, however, help to increase the size and strength of weak or flabby calves.

You can influence the shape of the calf by the type of shoe you wear. A shoe with a heel, for example, lifts the ankle and throws the calf muscles into a slight state of tension. It is this tension that pulls the calf muscles into the classical club shape that is so elegant and much admired.

Cramps in the calves can be very troublesome particularly at night. Basically they occur when there is a sudden, painful contraction of the calf muscles resulting from an increased irritability of the tissues which establish contact between the nerves and muscles. This is caused by a number of factors including a lack of calcium, anaernia, a poor circulation and a sudden loss of body fluids through heavy sweating or diarrhoea.

. The best way 0' deal with cramps when they do occur is to try and stretch the affected muscle as far as possible. This will be uncomfortable but it helps to bring the muscle out of its spasm.

When the intense pain abates, massage the area gently but firmly to restore a good circulation as quickly as possible and to prevent the cramp recurring.

If you do suffer from night cramps fairly regularly, you can take a few simple steps to prevent them occurring. Warming the bed with an electric blanket or a hot water bottle before you get into it and wearing bed socks to keep your feet warm will both help to make sure that your legs do not get cold during the night.

Varicose veins are another problem that particularly affects the calves. These are the unsightly, dark blue, enlarged and knobbly veins that can often be seen threading their way across the back of the leg. These varicose veins form because the small valves in the leg veins that help to maintain the flow of blood back to the heart break down and fall to close properly. Consequently, there is a slow seepage of blood back through the valve and down the leg which creates a pooling effect around the weak valve.

This in turn results in a swelling of the vein in that area producing a varicose vein.

Nobody has yet found out exactly what causes them. One theory Is that the weakness in the valve is due to standing still for a long period of time. This drains the blood to the legs and puts extra pressure on the leg veins and valves to get the blood back to the trunk. Some people think that it is due to the lack of roughage in Western diets, noting that varicose veins are practically unheard of in more primitive societies. The lack of roughage leads to constipation which in turn causes pressure in the abdomen into which the blood flows from the legs. Secondly, constipation causes straining to empty the bowels that increases the pressure in the legs.

Prevention is far better than cure. When you feel your legs getting tired, try to relax for a few minutes. Sit down on the floor, facing a wall and then start climbing up the wall with your feet. Wriggle forward on your buttocks until your legs are straight up the wall and make a right angle to your body.

Alternatively, sit down for a few minutes and massage your legs briskly, working up the leg from the ankles. Start by kneeding the outside of the legs with both hands quite firmly, working right up to the thighs. Then start again at the ankles and move up the leg with gentle, circular movements of the hands. Finally, stroke the legs with firm, long strokes from the feet upwards, as though you were straightening and pulling up a pair of tights.

If you notice varicose veins appearing it is a good idea to start wearing support stockings. With a regular examination of the legs at bathtime, for example, you should be able to spot them early enough to prevent them developing any further. If you are in any doubt about this or if your varicose veins become worse, you should consult your doctor.

Minor surface and spider veins should not be confused with varicose veins. These are thin, red to blue veins running across the surface of the leg which, like bruises, can easily be disguised by applying a little liquid foundation to the affected area.

Since the calves are so frequently exposed to view, especially during the summer, it is important to keep them looking their best at all times. Smooth, blemish free calves are extremely pleasing and attractive.

Like any other part of the body, the skin on the calves tends to dry out and become scaly and flaky. A little light moisturizing cream or lotion rubbed into the legs each night with the finger tips will help to keep the skin smooth and supple.

It is also important to remove the unwanted hair on the calves regularly. Waxing is one of the best methods for removing this superfluous hair. It not only removes the hair very effectively but also retards regrowth, so that the treatment is only required every six weeks or so. Depilatory creams and lotions are another satisfactory way of removing hair but should be used more regularly. Always be sure to read the instructions carefully before using. Bleaching is generally less satisfactory as it tends to bleach the skin as well as the hair. Shaving works too, in so far as it removes the hair, but unfortunately the hair tends to grow back hard and bristly.

Moving on to knees, very few people would rate them as an important or attractive feature of their legs. But often attention is focussed on the knees when they coincide with the hemline of a skirt or are revealed when you sit down. Knobbly knees and plump knees are virtually impossible to change but it is possible to disguise flaws and faults. A touch of powder blusher, for example, on the sides of the knees will make them appear slimmer. If you have particularly long thighs and short calves so that your knees seem low on the leg try drawing a thin line of pale liquid foundation up the centre of the shin. Then put a rosy highlight of pink blusher high up on each knee. This helps to create the illusion of a longer calf and restores balance to the proportions of the leg.

Many people have scars on their knees, remnants of old playground accidents. The best method of hiding them is to use a liquid foundation smoothed over the scar with moist fingers or a damp sponge. Allow the liquid to dry before blending it into the leg with a pad of cotton wool.

Knock knees occur when people stand with their knees turned in together. They are not particularly elegant or attractive. This and pigeon toes can only be corrected by a conscious effort to remember to stand with the feet and knees straight and facing the front.

Heavy thighs muscular or fat thighs are the bane of many people's lives. just as with muscular calves, it is very difficult to reduce the size of welldeveloped muscular thighs. Fat thighs, on the other hand, are easier to deal with. Contrary to popular opinion, legs do respond to a slimming diet. The only thing is that they may be the last parts of the body to show the effects of dieting, and some people lose patience before they see the benefits on their legs and abandon their diet prematurely.

Exercise can be a great help in firming up flabby thighs and reducing their size. Massage, too, can be used to break down and disperse the hard, globular deposits of cellulite that can plague upper thighs.

Years ago, when legs were covered by long skirts and layers of petticoats, they were not a problem. One Victorian woman wrote, 'There is no part of the human body that has not at some time been in fashion. The arms, the breasts, the back, the whole figure have in turn been fully acknowledged. There is one exception, however. The English woman has for many generations refused to confess to legs.' Nowadays, far from hiding legs, fashion and clothes can be used to enhance the natural shape of the body and above all, the legs.

It is important to know what type of clothes to choose to accentuate the good points of your legs and camouflage the bad points. If you have nice slim thighs, for example, you can get away with wearing fairly tight fitting slacks or blue jeans. Women with heavy thighs, on the other hand, would be well advised to avoid wearing tight trousers. They will only emphasize the size of her thighs. Any material stretched tight across the flesh will make it look bigger, whether it is a pair of tight slacks or a bathing costume that cuts sharply into the top of the leg so that the thigh bulges out from under it. It is far better to select a light material that hangs loosely and naturally over the legs. This will give the impression of slimness.

From the knee down, disguise has to be slightly more convincing as it is this part of the leg that is most often revealed to the world. Thick calves and ankles, for example, can be slimmed down by wearing dark stockings or tights, which should ideally tone with the shade of the shoes. Never wear socks that draw attention to a thick ankle and break the leg unattractively.

By sitting well you can display your legs to best advantage. If you do have heavy legs, there is no point in advertising the fact by spreading them out in all directions. It is much better to tuck them away neatly under your chair. If you have attractive legs that you are proud of, then do not spoil the effect by sitting badly. Always sit elegantly.

Apart from exercise to strengthen the legs and dieting to get rid of excess fat, there is a comparatively little that can be done to change a person's natural leg shape. By mastering the art of displaying your legs to their best advantage and by employing the skills of camouflage and illusion you can overcome many of the disadvantages of problem legs. There is no excuse for neglecting them.