Healthy circulation in your feet is important for a number of different reasons. Not only can healthy blood flow help to heal injuries like cuts or blisters, but it can also help to prevent some common health conditions caused by impaired blood flow. But how can you go about increasing circulation to your feet, which are the farthest area from your heart? We share five tips for improving circulation to your feet in today’s blog.
How To Improve Circulation To Your Feet
Having healthy circulation is important in all walks of life, but it’s especially important to try to improve your circulation if you have a condition like diabetes. Diabetes can damage blood vessels and lead to complications like foot ulcers or even amputations because of inhibited blood flow to the area. Here’s how diabetics or anyone looking to improve circulation to their feet can achieve better blood flow.
1. Exercise – Regular exercise is likely the best thing you can do to increase circulation and promote long-term healthy blood flow. Exercise gets your heart rate up, which helps to pump blood throughout your system, delivering vital oxygenated blood to the structures that need it to function.
2. Give Up Smoking – Smoking damages blood vessels and inhibits healthy blood flow. There are a number of reasons to stop smoking, and improved blood circulation is one of the more important reasons.
3. Elevate Your Legs – Elevating your legs above your heart can help to move fluid out of your legs that could be inhibiting healthy blood flow. If you’re on your feet all day and don’t have the best circulation, fluid can build up in your feet, and that can make it harder for healthy blood to enter and exit the area. Elevating your legs ensures that gravity works to pull that fluid away from your feet and help improve circulation.
4. Improved Diet – A healthy diet can promote an environment where blood can flow more freely, and conversely, a bad diet can lead to an inflammatory reaction that serves to inhibit circulation. Strive to eat a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables and stay hydrated with water to promote good blood vessel health.
5. Consult With A Foot Specialist – Finally, if you really want to do everything in your power to increase circulation to your feet, set up an appointment with a foot and ankle specialist like Dr. Silverman. He’ll be able to get to the bottom of your circulation issues and set you up with a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your individual needs. Whether it be through a specific physical therapy program, a home-care routine or dietary and exercise changes, he’ll find a solution that works for you.
For more information about improving circulation to your feet, or for help with a new or existing foot pain, reach out to Dr. Silverman and the team at Silverman Ankle & Foot today at (952) 224-8500.
