Poor Circulation in Feet? What To Do.

Some foot problems are prevalent in people of all ages. Poor foot circulation is one of these problems. 

Identifying whether or not you have sluggish foot circulation can be challenging, but a few tell-tale signs give away this underlying condition. Tingling or redness/blueness in your toes, swelling, and cramping can all point toward slow circulation. There are many possible causes of this deficiency, including varicose veins, obesity, and peripheral artery disease. 

Luckily, you can do something about it! In this post, we’ll cover the best ways to battle poor circulation in feet, as well as go over the potential causes of this issue in more depth, so that you can be on your way to excellent foot health in no time. 

What Causes Poor Circulation in Feet and Legs?

It’s important to understand the possible causes of this problem before delving into what you can do about it. A number of things can cause bad circulation in feet and legs—some of which you may not even realize are affecting you! 

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a surprisingly common reason for substandard circulation in your feet and legs. PAD causes your arteries to become narrower and is known to affect the feet and legs in particular. It’s commonly caused by a buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls.

Another reason you may experience impaired circulation in your feet and legs is varicose veins. They’re enlarged veins caused by extra pressure in your lower extremities and often appear twisted or gnarled, and are sometimes a purple-blue color.

Obesity is an indirect driver of poor leg and foot circulation. It increases the risk of fatty deposits in your blood vessels, diabetes, and varicose veins—all of which are contributing factors to bad circulation in the mentioned areas.

3 Helpful Remedies for Bad Foot Circulation

Now that you know some of the primary causes of bad foot circulation, let’s dive into easy ways to counteract it. 

1. Compression Socks

The most effective way to combat poor circulation in feet is to pull on a pair of compression socks. Compression socks are renowned for their ability to promote blood flow around the feet and legs and are, therefore, pretty much essential for anyone experiencing impaired circulation.

The light compression on your feet and legs from compression socks will discourage blood pooling around those areas and, instead, gently encourage the blood to flow back up to your heart and around the rest of your body. 

Compression socks are particularly useful if you’re on your feet all day or, conversely, stuck behind a desk for hours. In occupations that necessitate such inconveniences (like nursing or teaching), blood tends to pool around your feet and legs. Not only can this cause slothlike blood circulation, but it can have other disadvantages, too, including swelling and soreness. Wearing compression socks is a fantastic way to combat these problems.

2. Lifestyle Changes

Another great way to help prevent poor leg and foot circulation is to commit to lifestyle changes. A few simple changes can go a long way in aiding your foot and leg circulation. Doing more exercise is one of the primary ways you can help improve your circulation. Moving around makes your heart work harder, meaning it pumps more blood around your body, thus bettering blood flow.

As mentioned, sitting or standing all day is a contributory factor to bad circulation. As such, a fantastic way to help battle this circulation problem caused by prolonged lack of or excessive movement is taking breaks as frequently as possible or doing simple exercises at your desk. 

If you’re on your feet all the time, this could be as simple as sitting down for 5 minutes to give your feet and legs a break. On the other hand, if you suffer from prolonged sitting, you can instead go for a 5-minute walk or simply stand up and stretch your legs.

Altering your diet and nutrition is another simple lifestyle change that can significantly improve your circulation. You may not see results immediately, but over time, you’ll see better circulation. This means avoiding junk food and snacks, and might include something as simple as bringing carrot sticks to the office with you.

3. Take a Bath

The final way to help alleviate poor circulation in feet and legs is to take a bath. Harvard conducted a study and concluded hot baths and saunas can be good for your heart: the warm temp of a hot bath or sauna makes your blood vessels dilate, thus lowering blood pressure. 

However, if you have a heart condition, be wary of trying this method. The study found that if you’re prone to low blood pressure, the heightened temperature can cause your blood pressure to drop too low. 

Keep Your Feet Healthy Long-Term

Poor circulation in feet and legs is a problem that can affect any of us. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to feel better quickly. 

Crazy Compression is dedicated to helping you maintain your foot and leg health. Take some of the pressure (literally!) off your legs with our expertly-designed compression socks. And don’t worry, there’s a design for everyone so you can rock them with style, too!