Saturday, September 27, is the next movie night in Surprise. If you have poor circulation in your feet and suffer from intermittent claudication, you might not want to think about walking that distance from your car and sitting on a blanket for two hours—even for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2! The pain in your legs can be too much to tolerate, causing you to miss out on many fun activities in our community.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common condition that affects many people. It causes your arteries to narrow and decreases blood flow to your limbs. Your legs and feet are the most likely to be affected. You may feel pain and discomfort when walking, which is known as intermittent claudication. PAD can be dangerous, because if your limbs aren’t getting enough blood, then other, more important areas may not be getting enough either—including your heart and brain. It’s important to treat PAD, as well as the pain symptoms associated with this problem.
One of the best ways to create open arteries is by engaging in exercise. One effective form of physical activity is a walking program. It is recommended to walk until your pain is at about a moderate level, and then rest until the pain has subsided. Then repeat this process for 30 minutes 3 times a week. You should be building up a tolerance so you can then progress to 60 minutes. In addition to exercising more frequently, you should also quit smoking and begin to eat a healthier diet to shed some extra pounds. We can prescribe medications that may help, and a number of different surgical methods can be used to widen the arteries and get rid of any blockages there may be.
When you have good circulation your whole body is happy. For more information call us at (623) 584-5556 to schedule an appointment at Fixing Feet Institute in Surprise, AZ.
Photo Credit: David Mark VIA pixabay.com
