Have you noticed lately that you are unable to walk as far as you used to without needing to rest? Do you experience calf pain soon after beginning an activity, forcing you to stop before you want to? Have your feet felt cold or your toenails become thickened? Has the hair on your feet stopped growing? If you can answer yes to any or all of these questions, you may be suffering from a serious problem involving the blood vessels in your legs and feet. In the medical community, this condition is called PVD (“peripheral vascular disease”), but all this medical jargon really means is that the blood vessels in your legs are blocked, leading to decreased blood flow to your calves and feet. This blockage may be due to a number of reasons, like clogging, narrowing or hardening of the arteries. No matter what the underlying cause is, you should see a doctor to determine the proper treatment to get you back on your feet and walking without pain. Your podiatrist will be able to do a series of physical tests to assess your problem, and they may request a consult with a doctor who specializes in blood vessels to aid in the diagnosis of the specific problem at hand.

A hallmark of this clinical condition is that the pain occurs periodically with an activity such as walking, then after a moment of rest (the length of this rest time varies from patient to patient), you are able to continue walking. Other signs that point to PVD include a bluish discoloration of the lower legs and feet, decreased hair growth or shiny skin on the tops of the feet and toes, decreased temperature of the affected limb, and decreased pulses felt in the feet.

While this may seem odd or opposite to common sense, exercise is often the best option to improve your symptoms (provided they are mild – severe symptoms will often require more intensive forms of treatment). You should always talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program, to ensure your health won’t be compromised. Let’s say, for example, you experience pain and require rest after walking two blocks. This should not encourage you to simply avoid walking two blocks! Instead you should set realistic goals, such as making it three blocks before resting, then seek to improve your ability to walking four blocks and then five, and so on. Medications that aid in controlling blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol will help keep your blood vessels in good working order, and thus help you to walk further without pain.

If your doctor determines the blockages in your arteries are too serious to simply prescribe exercise, they may consider surgery. This option is typically reserved for conditions that are life or limb threatening or significantly interfere with your ability to complete activities of daily living.

You deserve to enjoy the activities in your life! If you suffer from any of the symptoms discussed above, make an appointment with your local Chandler podiatrist today and get started with the rest of your life!

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