A Podiatrists take on cold feet
The Winter season brings about a huge amount of change, and most notably the plummeting temperatures. Unfortunately, it can also bring along cold feet.
Cold feet can be tricky to manage, we’ll explore the causes, and then discuss my most common tips to try and make this Winter a bit more tolerable for you and your feet.
Blood plays a big role in temperature regulation. Blood flows from our core, to our extremities (hands and feet). When it’s warm or hot, our blood vessels dilate (get bigger), and when it’s cold they constrict (get smaller). As blood vessels constrict, blood flow is restricted, which can cause cold feet. Now, everyone’s blood vessels will respond differently - this is partly genetic (thanks Mum or Dad!), but it does mean that some people get colder feet than others.
Something to keep in mind is that there is nothing that is further away from your core, than your feet! They’re the first thing the body will restrict blood flow to if it’s cold. As an extreme example, the reason people get frost bitten fingers and toes is because the body is willing to sacrifice a toe, to keep the core warm.
So, my first recommendation is in order to keep your feet warm, you need to keep your core temperature warm! The warmer the core, the better the blood flow to your feet. Room temperature and clothing choice can help - rug up!
Now we can look at the feet. The types of footwear and socks that you wear will impact foot temperature. Using good quality materials will always have a positive result. Consider the following:
High quality wool and cotton
Increased sock thickness
Increased shoe sole thickness if working on cold floors, increasing the space between a cold floor and your feet is helpful (think tiles or concrete)
Closed in shoes to retain heat (leather can work well, wool lined shoes are even better!)
My last recommendation is sometimes forgotten about! The best way to keep blood flowing is - movement. Trying to stay moving and active throughout the day can really help. Some simple tricks include:
Calf raises both seated and standing at your desk
Going for a brisk walk at your break times (pending it’s not freezing outside)
Moving your workout time to the middle of the day (your core temperature will remain higher following a workout)
P.S Don’t forget about heat packs! They can be a game changer.
Written by Albury Podiatrist Tim Pargeter, This is Foot and Ankle
