How to fix poor circulation in feet

Índice Show

2. Stretching
3. Position Your Body
4. Wear Compression Stockings
5. Stop Smoking
6. Manage Your Stress Levels

Every day, your heart pumps about 10 pints of blood 60,000 miles around your body through your circulatory system. That system is made up of blood vessels, the tubes that carry blood throughout your body. Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues, removes carbon dioxide and waste from them, and keeps your body functioning.

If problems in your circulatory system interfere with blood flow in your legs, you may notice symptoms such as:

Numbness or tingling in your feet
Muscle cramps
Cold feet
Trouble getting or keeping an erection
Memory and concentration problems
Slow-healing wounds
Varicose veins
Swelling, called edema
Fatigue

These symptoms could be a sign of health conditions that affect circulation, like:

A blood clot
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Atherosclerosis, a buildup of fats and other substances (called plaque) in your arteries
Peripheral artery disease (PAD), in which this buildup narrows arteries to your legs

Talk to your doctor if you notice signs of poor circulation in your legs or elsewhere in your body.

You can take steps to improve circulation in your legs, such as:

Quit smoking. The nicotine in cigarettes, vapes, and smokeless tobacco can harm blood vessels and raise your risk for PAD. PAD causes symptoms like numbness, weakness, cramping, coldness, and pain, usually in your legs. And it raises your risk for heart attacks and strokes.

Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure puts extra strain on your artery walls. This makes atherosclerosis and PAD more likely. For most people, a healthy blood pressure is less than 120/80. Get your blood pressure checked regularly, and get treatment if it's high.

Stay hydrated. Drinking enough water keeps your blood volume at a good level. That helps you maintain proper circulation. Aim for eight glasses a day. Avoid too much caffeine or alcohol, which can dehydrate you.

Exercise. Physical activity is one of the best ways to improve your circulation. Any sort of movement boosts blood flow. Exercise can raise your heart rate, which makes blood move faster through your body. But even stretching can help. Your muscles and tendons extend when you stretch, which helps blood flow freely through your vessels Ask your doctor which exercises may be best for you.

Try yoga. In addition to the benefits of stretching, the relaxation yoga can bring may improve blood flow. Twisting movements send oxygenated blood to your organs. Poses where your head is lower than your heart can help blood flow from your lower body to your heart and brain. Yoga also boosts your red blood cells’ hemoglobin levels. Hemoglobin is a protein that helps your blood carry oxygen through your body.

Stand up. Sitting a lot during the day decreases circulation to your lower body and may also increase your risks for conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Jump-start your circulation by using a standing desk or taking frequent short breaks to walk around.

Try compression socks. These socks gently squeeze your legs so blood doesn't linger in that area too long. They help the blood move back up to your heart. Ask your doctor what kind of compression socks might be best for you.

Watch your diet. Good nutrition helps prevent conditions that affect your circulation, like atherosclerosis, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Experts suggest that you:

Cut down on saturated fat and salt
Eat foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
Get plenty of antioxidants (such as vitamins C and E) and fiber
Include fish in your diet

Brush your body. Brushing your skin, or “dry brushing,” has health benefits, including improved circulation. With this massage technique, you use a dry, stiff brush daily to gently scrape your skin. It helps exfoliate your skin while it improves blood circulation and lymph drainage. Lymph is excess fluid from your tissues and cells.

Use warmth. A warm bath can temporarily boost blood flow by widening your blood vessels. A hot drink like tea has a similar effect. As a bonus, black and green tea contain antioxidants that are good for your cardiovascular health.

December 24, 2010

Dear Mayo Clinic:

Can poor circulation in feet due to peripheral arterial disease be treated?

Answer:
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries (atherosclerosis), reducing blood flow to the limbs. Common risk factors of PAD include smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, high blood pressure, high lipids (cholesterol and/or triglycerides), diabetes, obesity, inactivity, age greater than 50, male gender, family history, genetic conditions and ethnicity.

Common symptoms of PAD include pain, fatigue, heaviness, cramping or discomfort in the leg muscles (calf, thigh or buttocks) that occur during activity such as walking or climbing stairs. The location of intermittent claudication depends on where the artery is blocked or narrowed. The pain or discomfort goes away once the activity is stopped and during rest.

Treatment for peripheral arterial disease depends on a person's overall health, the symptoms, and the results of tests a doctor may perform to diagnose the condition. Treatment may be a combination of lifestyle changes, medications, catheter-based procedures or, in some cases, surgery.

For mild disease, we may recommend that a person remain under observation while adopting lifestyle changes. Smokers should quit. Stopping tobacco use is the first step in treating peripheral arterial disease. Regular walking will help condition muscles and improve blood flow in the legs. Exercise will also help control other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. Eating healthy foods can help lower high cholesterol levels and control diabetes. And those who are overweight should lose weight.

Medications cannot cure peripheral arterial disease, but they can help treat conditions that contribute to the disease, such as high cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood pressure or diabetes.

Several procedures can treat narrowed or blocked arteries. In angioplasty, a thin tube (catheter) with a tiny balloon at its tip is inserted into a blood vessel and threaded to the blocked area of the artery. The balloon is then inflated, pushing plaque to the side and opening the artery. Sometimes a wire mesh tube (stent) is wrapped around the balloon so that when the balloon is inserted and inflated, the stent is opened and positioned within the artery. The balloon is then deflated and removed, leaving the stent in place.

Bypass surgery can improve circulation in the legs, depending on the extent and location of the blockage. Bypass uses a graft (man-made or a vein from the patient's body) to reroute circulation. The graft is attached above and below the blocked area of the artery, allowing blood to go around the blockage.

A diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease means a person is at risk for other blockages in other arteries — blockages that can cause heart disease and stroke. Patients with peripheral arterial disease are often screened for blockages in the arteries serving the heart and brain.

Because you have peripheral arterial disease — whether or not you receive medical treatment — it is very important that you take care of your health and modify any risk factors to stop the progression of the disease and prevent occurrence elsewhere. Treatment options are available. But you should first meet with your physician to discuss all of your symptoms.

— Henna Kalsi, M.D., Gonda Vascular Center, Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Good blood circulation in your legs allows tissues to take in nutrients, get rid of waste, and is an essential function of long-term leg health and strength. Poor leg circulation can be improved by starting simple habits and making changes to your diet.

The term circulation describes the constant movement of blood around the body, made possible by the pumping action of the heart. This movement or “flow” of blood takes place in a network of tubes known as blood vessels. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart; veins are blood vessels that carry blood towards it.

Returning blood to the heart from the lower parts of the body is hard work for the circulatory system because the blood has to be pushed upwards through the body. The muscles that surround the veins help with circulation: as they contract around veins, they stimulate the flow of blood to the heart. This is why staying active—even just walking- can help improve your circulation.

Circulation may deteriorate as we age. But circulation problems may affect anyone, at any age, who is not very active.

Here are some helpful tips for improving blood circulation in your legs and all throughout your body.

1. Walking

Walking is a simple, low-impact exercise that can help you create a more active and healthy lifestyle and may promote weight loss. Walking at any pace is beneficial to increase blood flow throughout the body, as it is the best way to lower your blood pressure and increase muscle contraction in the legs. As muscles contract and relax, they squeeze around the large veins in the legs, promoting healthy circulation in more stagnant areas of flow.

Additional benefits to walking and other forms of exercise include improving overall balance and uplifting your mood.

2. Stretching

Engaging in regular stretching has numerous benefits for your body. Stretching with proper technique may help promote blood circulation, which carries oxygen and nutrients to your organs and muscles that are necessary for proper function, movement, and flexibility.

3. Position Your Body

If you tend to cross your legs when you sit, you may be harming the circulation in your lower body. That common position cuts off circulation to the legs, making it more difficult for blood to get to your leg tissue to keep it healthy. Make a habit of sitting in a position that’s better for circulation.

Try out these sitting positions that help promote better vein circulation:

Sit with your legs spaced slightly apart and your feet on the floor. Remember to get up from time to time so you aren’t in this position for too long.
You can also slightly elevate your legs to help circulation. Put your feet up on a stool or Ottoman six to twelve inches above the ground.
While sleeping, prop your legs on a pillow to improve blood flow. This position is also healthy for your spine!

4. Wear Compression Stockings

Compression stockings can improve your blood flow and reduce swelling and pain.

Compression is essential if you have a job that requires you to be either seated or standing for the entire day. Too much pressure on the legs or too little movement can negatively affect your overall health and circulation. Compression stockings mimic the internal action of walking by causing the muscles in your legs to continuously contract and relax, thereby stimulating blood flow.

5. Stop Smoking

If you want healthy blood vessels, then you definitely shouldn’t smoke. Smoking can cause your feet and ankles to swell, and blood clots are common for smokers. If you’re smoking, your heart is not working under the best conditions, and this may lead to damaged blood vessels and veins in your legs.

6. Manage Your Stress Levels

Stress can have negative side effects on your mental and physical health, including the body’s circulation. Find ways to relieve stress through exercise, listening to music, taking deep breaths, meditation or psychotherapy.

Interested in reading more about circulation? Explore our collection of circulation topics.

Dr. Satish Vayuvegula

Dr. Satish Vayuvegula is the National Medical Director at Vein Clinics of America. Certified by the American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine, Dr. Satish Vayuvegula is recognized as a physician who has met rigorous standards of knowledge and extensive training in phlebology, the diagnosis and treatment of varicose vein disease and related disorders. Dr. Satish also shares his passion and expertise by serving as a board member of the American Vein and Lymphatic Society, the predominant national organization for venous and lymphatic disease.