Pressing on varicose veins okay?

I am in need a total knee replacement but I am only 49, so I just got my knee brace (ordered by my orthopedic doctor) that will put the pressure on the outside of my knee and away from the inside where it is bone on bone.  But behind my knee and up the back of my leg 2 inches are some bulgy veins.  They are flesh colored, are shaped kind of like 2 large kidney beans right next to each other.  The bottom part of the lowest one is a bit blue.  I always figured they were varicose veins but they didn't hurt, itch, or anything.

One of the straps on the leg brace presses on these veins.  And I am getting some pain in that general area, right next to it.  The pressure on the outside of the leg is causing some pain in the muscle on the side and just barely on the back of my leg, but I'm pretty sure that the veins aren't the source of the pain, since the pain does go up my leg a bit.  I'm just mentioning the pain because I don't know anything about varicose veins and the type of pain they can cause, in case they are related in some way.

Sorry for the wordy question.  So:  am I doing any damage by having straps that press on the veins and does pressing on the veins make them hurt?

[SassyLassie]

I would ask your doctor, it would appear to me, that any type of pressure on them would not be good however.