Our Verdict: The HeelPro Heel Protection Bootprotects heels from pressure ulcers to aid a faster recovery. This boot provides excellent preventative and restorative care to people with existing problems in the heel and feet areas. This is particularly brilliant for carers and patients, since the arpeture allows carers to assess the condition of the foot without needing to be removed, making this ideal for use in medical and home environments. With early diagnosis, lifestyle changes and treatment, you can stop PAD from getting worse. If you think you’re at risk for PAD or may already have the disease, talk to your primary care doctor, vascular medicine specialist or cardiologist so you can get started on a prevention or treatment program right away. How is peripheral artery disease treated? Gerhard-Herman MD, et al. 2016 AHA/ACC guideline on the management of patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2016; doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000471.

It’s important to take good care of your feet to prevent nonhealing sores. Foot care for people who have PAD includes: Get a bad infection in a sore on your foot. The infection can expand into your muscles, tissues, blood and bones. If your infection is severe, you may need to go to the hospital. Many people with peripheral artery disease have mild or no symptoms. Some people have leg pain when walking (claudication). Harris L, et al. Epidemiology, risk factors, and natural history of peripheral artery disease. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed April 11, 2022.Yes. Some studies have shown that you can reverse peripheral vascular disease symptoms with exercise and control of cholesterol and blood pressure.

In some cases, your healthcare provider may refer you to a podiatrist (foot expert) for specialized foot care ― especially if you have diabetes. A podiatrist can help you with corns, calluses or other foot problems. When should I see my healthcare provider? The GP may also ask about your personal and family medical histories. The ankle brachial pressure index Tobacco use is the most important risk factor for PAD and its complications. In fact, 80% of people with PAD are people who currently smoke or used to smoke. Tobacco use increases the risk for PAD by 400%. It also brings on PAD symptoms almost 10 years earlier. The best way to prevent leg pain due to peripheral artery disease is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. That means:Cutting your toenails after bathing, when they’re soft. Cut them straight across and smooth them with a nail file. Several noninvasive tests are available to assess PAD. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a simple test in which blood pressure is measured and compared at the arm and ankle levels. An abnormal ABI is a reliable indicator of underlying PAD and may prompt the foot and ankle surgeon to refer the patient to a vascular specialist for additional testing and treatment as necessary. General Treatment of PAD Davies MG. Management of claudication due to peripheral artery disease. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed April 11, 2022.

Our Verdict: The Harvest Pressure Relief Heel Padding provides excellent support, comfort and protection to sensitive heels, and are fully adjustable to ensure they stay put throughout the night. These provide a high degree of comfort, and are made with a generous amount of fibre padding. The Velcro strapping makes adjustment simple, and each pad is supplied with a hygienic and soft two-way stretch, vapour-permeable cover for comfort. High levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, which increase the risk for coronary artery disease A supervised exercise program will improve the symptoms of pain in your legs with walking, allowing you to walk farther. A structured program typically includes walking on a treadmill in a supervised setting at least three times per week. Smoking or having diabetes greatly increases the risk of developing peripheral artery disease.Other things that increase the risk of peripheral artery disease include: the restriction of blood supply in your leg is severe enough that treatment, such as surgery, may be required

Healthcare providers can use two different systems — Fontaine and Rutherford — to assign a stage to your PAD. The Fontaine stages, which are simpler, are: Without treatment, people with PAD may need an amputation — the removal of part or all of your foot or leg (rarely your arm), especially in people who also have diabetes. Prevention and treatment of PAD. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/peripheral-artery-disease/prevention-and-treatment-of-pad. Accessed April 11, 2022. Your healthcare provider may prescribe an antiplatelet medication such as aspirin or clopidogrel. They alsomay prescribe cilostazol to improve your walking distance. This medication helps people with intermittent claudication exercise longer before they get leg pain. Supervised exercise programs