Failure to follow a healthy diet can have serious health repercussions, including elevated cholesterol. A major disadvantage of the illness is that it rarely causes symptoms. However, certain toe issues, such as hammertoe, may indicate congested arteries.
High cholesterol levels in the bloodstream cause damage to the arteries by depositing material on their walls. Circulation becomes hampered as the build-up narrows the passageways. As a result, there is a lack of oxygen in the hands and feet, which increases the risk of problems like hammertoes. If left untreated, the ailment can lead to more serious problems, such as nerve damage.
Peripheral artery disease is defined as a buildup of cholesterol and plaque in the arteries going to the limbs, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Many difficulties in the legs and feet are caused by this ailment, which might hinder walking and other activities.
Hammertoe is a less well-known consequence of PAD that results in toe abnormalities.
The Orthopaedic Medical Centre says that people “with poor circulation or nerve damage in their feet, such as diabetics, stroke survivors, or those with peripheral artery disease, are more at risk for hammertoes than the general population.
“Women are more prone to hammertoes than men, presumably because they wear less comfortable shoes with smaller toe boxes.
“Other risk factors for hammertoes include increasing age and having a second toe longer than the big toe.”
A toe that is twisted upward at the middle joint is known as a hammertoe.
The affected toe, generally the one nearest to the big toe, may experience pain, edema, redness, and stiffness.
In most cases, the earliest stages of the finger can be straightened, but this can become increasingly difficult as time passes.
“When the inside of your shoe rubs against a hammertoe, corns, blisters or calluses may form,” adds the health body Family Doctor.
The deformity, also known as mallet toe, occurs when the shape of a shoe causes the foot anatomy to shift.
Trauma and some disease processes, such as PAD, can, nonetheless, play a role in its development.
These diseases all have one thing in common: they produce an imbalance in the muscles, tendons, or ligaments that keep the toe straight.
Changes in footwear and the use of shoe inserts can help ease pain, but in severe situations, surgery may be required.
Some patients don’t want to have surgery, but that could cause more problems.
When hammertoe occurs, the foot rubs excessively within the shoe, causing irritation, corns and calluses, and eventually nerve harm.
Even though hammertoe is the cause, nerve damage can happen when there is constant pressure on or between the toes.
Changes in posture are another documented consequence. A patient with a painful foot will change how they walk or move to avoid putting weight on the affected area. This, in turn, can cause stress in various areas of the body, including the knees, ankles, and back.
People who need their toes to make quick movements may have difficulty walking, jogging, or changing directions when on their feet, according to experts.
Image Credit: Getty
You were reading: High cholesterol? Your Feet Might Hold Subtle Clues to Clogged Arteries