It can certainly help, and the roller/tights suggestion is pretty good.
A quick post rise routine is to lay down, legs up but supported, hands either side of thigh in line with leg and ‘wobble’ the thigh muscles slowly by moving the hands 2-3″
Also can try cupping hands around lower calf, finger towards shins and slowly ‘milking’ the muscle by moving hands towards the knee and sliding back towards the ankle with reduced pressure.
However, it’s also important to prevent blood pooling in the lower legs, so good to sit with feet up as soon as possible after riding. Preferably relaxing with a post ride rehydration beverage 🙂
Seriously though, I’m pretty convinced that the ‘drive to riders’ can suffer more than the ‘ride from homers’ – several hours spent in the typical car seat posture is not good for leg recovery, even worse if you’re the driver and have to keep using the flexors/extensors of the lower leg to operate pedals and are more restricted in being able to shift your posture.
EDIT molgrips, you’re right the blood will return of it’s own accord but tissue fluid/lymphatic fluid will not. Lower limbs can also impede blood return due to overcontracted muscles constricting the veins.