You may notice poor circulation in your feet while walking if your feet begin to throb, ache or just generally hurt. If you have poor circulation while walking, you can stub your toe and not even realize it due to the lack of feeling. Your feet may also feel numb or tingle, as if they were asleep. Schedule an appointment with your health care provider right away, as this could indicate a serious problem.
Diabetes
Diabetes is notorious for foot complications such as poor blood circulation, neuropathy (nerve damage) and foot ulcers. Diabetes can affect your foot circulation whether you're walking, sitting, standing or sleeping. It causes the blood vessels in your feet to become narrow and hard. This makes it harder to feel sensations, whether from stubbing your toe or a serious infection. Your feet may also feel cold -- but don't attempt to warm them; you may not realize how hot the heat is and end up burning your foot. See your doctor right away if you begin to notice that your feet are cold and have little or no feeling. Exercising can help restore some of the blood flow, but seek physician approval to be sure you're healthy enough to exercise.
Peripheral Artery Disease
Peripheral artery disease, PAD, is a disease in which your arteries are very narrow and reduce blood circulation to your limbs- particularly your legs. Since it particularly affects your legs, you will likely experience leg pain while walking. Since PAD is caused by very narrow arteries, the chances are great that you have a larger problem such as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is when fat and cholesterol deposits along the lining of your arteries, which can block blood flow from your heart and brain. This can result in a heart attack or stroke. Your doctor may recommend exercise, a healthy diet change and possibly medication to control your cholesterol levels.
Your Shoes
Your shoes can also cause poor circulation in your feet when walking, especially if they're too tight. Tight-fitting shoes can reduce blood circulation to your feet, just like tying a string around your finger can do to this digit. Ill-fitting shoes can also cause poor circulation. When your shoes don't properly fit around your toes, this impedes circulation as your toes become smashed together against the inside of the shoe. This results in blisters and other foot pain in addition to the decreased circulation.
Considerations
Make sure you have properly fitting walking shoes that are comfortable and provide a lot of support. Rule out all possibilities; don't just chalk the discomfort up to shoe laces being tied too tight. Tell your doctor about concerns related to poor foot circulation, as this can be an early warning sign of diabetes or PAD. Your physician may want to screen your blood sugar levels to rule out the possibility of diabetes or perform special testing to see if atherosclerosis is the culprit.
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