Poor leg circulation is a problem for many elderly. With age, the blood vessels in the legs and other parts of the body begin to narrow because of the cholesterol plaque buildup or get damaged from systemic health conditions like diabetes Medline Plus explains. Symptoms of poor leg circulation include a change in the color of the skin of the feet and lower legs, feet that are cold all the time, sores on the feet that do not heal, and cramping pain in the calves after walking for a while. Feet numbness and tingling are other common symptoms. Poor circulation in legs at night can disrupt sleep and therefore affect your overall level of health.
People who have diabetes are particularly likely to develop poor leg circulation. In addition to diabetes, there are other risk factors like smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and a sedentary life style according to Fox News Health Talk video interview. If you want to avoid or at least delay the onset of poor leg circulation, you should be minimizing your risk factors immediately. In extreme cases, poor leg circulation can lead to aggressive symptoms as discoloration in the limbs, malignant ulcers and even gangrene requiring amputation.