Intermittent claudication

Do you suffer from intermittent claudication? At Podobrace, you’ll find various aids that provide support for this condition. Would you like more information about intermittent claudication? Feel free to read on. We’ll gladly explain it to you.

What is intermittent claudication?

Intermittent claudication is a common and troublesome condition. It occurs because the artery in the leg is narrowed. While walking, the leg muscles need more oxygen. If the arteries are narrowed, the muscles receive too little oxygen. This causes pain in the leg. If you pause for a moment, such as by looking at a shop window, the blood will once again receive enough oxygen and the pain disappears. That’s why this condition is also called intermittent claudication. The medical name for intermittent claudication is Claudicatio Intermittens.

What are the causes of intermittent claudication?

Intermittent claudication is a vascular disease caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis leads to narrowing because the arterial walls become stiffer and thicker. Arterial narrowing is a normal part of aging. The following factors increase the risk of blood vessel narrowing:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Overweight
• Lack of physical activity
• Hereditary predisposition
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes

What can be done about it?

There are several things you can do to reduce the symptoms of intermittent claudication. First and foremost, quitting smoking is extremely important. In addition, regular physical activity is crucial. If you have intermittent claudication, it’s important to walk as much as possible. You can also follow a walking training program with a physiotherapist. After about three months, you’ll already notice a significant improvement during walks. Lastly, a healthy diet is essential. Eat as healthily as possible with minimal saturated fat. Saturated fat raises the cholesterol level in your blood, which can lead to atherosclerosis.

At Podobrace, we offer several products to treat the symptoms of intermittent claudication. For example, we have compression stockings from Novamed. These compression stockings help tighten the leg muscles and provide counterpressure to improve blood circulation. Novamed compression stockings are considered the best on the market right now.

Symptoms of intermittent claudication

The main symptom of intermittent claudication is pain while walking. Due to limited blood flow to the legs, physical complaints often become problematic. The symptoms usually worsen over time unless they are treated.

Other symptoms of intermittent claudication include:

• Hair loss on the feet or toes
• Pain in the feet or toes
• Discoloration of the skin
• Increased skin temperature
• Pain or fatigue in the legs
• Burning or tingling sensation in the feet
• Ulcers or sores on the skin of the legs and feet