This article was reviewed by Dr. Emilija Ashtalkoska on August 10th, 2018. Products listed therein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.
Introduction
Do your toes feel ice cold? Are they cramping and swelling? Are you unable to walk without experiencing pain in your toes, feet, and calves? Unfortunately, you have poor circulation.
Poor circulation is due to a variety of health and lifestyle factors. But do not worry! Poor circulation is usually quite treatable.
Continue reading on to learn about why this is happening, and exactly what you can do to get circulation back in your toes.
What Are The Signs Of Poor Toe & Foot Circulation?
There are numerous signs and symptoms of poor circulation in the toes and feet.
An absence of toe and foot hair, thinning skin, skin discoloration that is red or purple, and a general feeling of coldness or numbness are all common symptoms.
Many people who suffer from poor arterial circulation also note a tingling sensation throughout the foot – this is actually not due to poor circulation, and is generally due to a pinched nerve or possibly nerve disease.
If the poor circulation is not addressed in a timely manner, it can lead to serious repercussions, such as gang green, or possibly amputation.
This is why taking care of circulatory issues are vital. As always, this website does not provide medical advice. Please consult your doctor before using any of the techniques listed below.
Our Top Choice: Try Compression Boots
Compression boots may look silly, but they are a powerful ally in the fight for healthy circulation.
They work by utilizing the power of compressed air pumped at varying intensities throughout the leg.
This helps promote healthy blood flow, reduce inflammation, and aids the lymphatic system. Originally, compression boots were used by power athletes to speed up their recovery time.
Nowadays, people from all walks of life have discovered the benefits of utilizing compression therapy to boost their circulatory system.
Air Relax Sequential Compression Device is one of the best compression devices on the market day.
It is an FDA cleared Medical Grade Device which comes with four different advance modes to help aid your circulatory system: peristaltic, sequential, massage, and peristaltic + massage.
One of the most impressive aspects of the system is that it can be used with additional cuffs.
For example, if you are prone to poor circulation in your hands, you could purchase an arm cuff and also treat your hand circulation. This is our top recommendation for getting circulation back to your toes and feet.
Click here to view Air Relax Sequential Compression Device on Amazon.com
Try Yoga
Yoga is one of the best exercises to help combat poor circulation. It is easily accessible, can be done by almost anyone, and is extremely low cost, if not free.
Although it can be difficult to engage in if you have severe lifestyle hinderances, for mild to moderate cases of poor circulation, it can help promote healthy circulation throughout the body along with an enormous amount of additional health benefits.
We recommend practicing yoga with a yoga mat.
Although it is possible to engage in yoga without one, it can be quite uncomfortable, especially for positions where your knees are touching the ground.
Fortunately, regular yoga mats are quite affordable. Additionally, yoga lessons can be found online for free and can be practiced at home whenever it is convenient for you.
Use A Foot Circulation Booster
MedMassager Speed Foot Massager is one of the most powerful electric foot massagers on the market, with speeds up to 3,700 RPM.
This helps stimulate healthy circulation in the toes, feet, and legs. Additionally, the MedMassager comes with a designated arch-bar, which you can use to pinpoint specific spots, like the toes.
MedMassager is used throughout the world to help treat severe circulatory issues and is a fantastic choice to help you get circulation back in your toes.
The machine is notable for its impressive build quality and one year warranty. Also, it can be quite nice to come home after a long day and use a foot massager & circulation booster.
Click here to view MedMassager MMF06 11 Speed Foot Massager on Amazon.com
Get Better Fitting Shoes
Although it may seem obvious, poorly fitting shoes can severely hamper blood flow to the toes, feet, and legs.
Unfortunately, many of us have to force our feet into uncomfortable work shoes in environments that prioritize fashion over health or requires us to be on our feet all day.
Fortunately, there are ways around this. Whenever possible, let your feet breath, take breaks, and if possible, wear better fitting shoes in your day to day life.
If you spend most of your day sitting at a desk or in a corporate environment, stretch your legs frequently, and consider letting your feet breath once an hour.
Get Up From Your Desk More Often
This may seem like another obvious suggestion, but many of us spend all day sitting at a desk in front of a computer.
Unsurprisingly, sitting all day, especially without proper posture, is awful for our circulatory system and mobility. It can compress the blood vessels throughout the legs and cause poor foot and toe circulation.
An easy way to circumvent this issue is to get up from your desk more often and get moving!
Movement forces the blood to pump throughout the body and can help aid or prevent circulatory issues. If possible, take a quick walk every fifteen or twenty minutes.
Go talk to your colleague instead of sending them an email.
Depending on your line of work, this may require some creativity, but getting up from your desk and moving throughout the day will help your circulatory system.
Use A Heated Foot Spa
The science behind heated foot spas is quite simple. When your feet are placed in hot water, blood rushes into the feet, thus helping promote healthy circulation.
Although foot soaks can be made easily at home with a bucket and warm water, we recommend the Brookstone Heated Aqua-Jet Foot Spa because it fits feet of all sizes, includes a self-warming feature up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit, and includes rotating jets, which help aid in improving circulation to the feet and toes.
Plus, you can move the jets around and have them directly face your toes, which will ease pain and promote proper circulation.
The Brookstone also comes with comfortable massage rollers, which will also aid in your efforts to improve circulation.
Additionally, utilizing a foot spa has the added benefit of providing you with a foot massage, which can relax you both physically and mentally.
This reduces tension, eases the pain, improves circulation, and provides numerous other health benefits.
Click here to view Brookstone Heated Aqua-Jet Foot Spa on Amazon.com
Lose That Excess Weight
There have been countless studies that prove that excess weight severely hampers the bodies ability to properly circulate blood throughout the body.
This is especially terrifying because, over time, blood clots can develop and cause serious health problems like strokes or even death.
Additionally, circulatory issues can cause tissue in the body to die, developing gang green or even requiring amputation.
All of this is significantly affected by obesity, so consult your doctor immediately about healthy ways to lose weight.
Unfortunately, additional complications can arise from obesity, such as peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes, which further hampers proper blood flow.
Try Using Compression Socks
Compression socks work by utilizing strong elastics to push blood throughout the legs and feet, aiding the circulatory system and pushing blood into the legs, feet, and toes.
They are tightest towards the foot, and then gradually loosen as they go up the leg, but are actually surprisingly comfortable to wear for the average user.
Additionally, compression socks tend to be low cost, making them a fantastic treatment option for those with circulatory issues.
We recommend utilizing compression socks throughout the day, and then whenever possible, utilizing compression boots or a foot circulatory booster.
Physix Gear Compression Socks are unisex compression socks that are made of premium quality materials and can be used throughout the day and night without any issues.
They are comfortable, stylish, and most importantly, can help improve circulation in your toes and feet. It is worth noting that compression socks with pressure up to 20 mmHg are relatively safe to use over the counter.
However, for anything above that level, a doctor must be consulted.
High-pressure compression socks are used only when there is a certain condition of the veins of the legs, whether they are varicose veins, phlebitis or thrombophlebitis.
Click here to view Physix Gear Compression Socks on Amazon.com
Quit Smoking
Smoking does an immense amount of damage to the circulatory system, due to a number of reasons.
First of all, various toxins from smoke, such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, metals, and free radicals, can seriously damage our bodies ability to transport oxygen properly in the blood.
It can also affect our heart rate, increase risks of hypertension, blood clotting, stroke, and more.
We highly recommend that you quit smoking to improve your circulatory system, along with a number of other health benefits that come from being smoke-free.
What Causes Poor Foot Circulation In Your Toes?
Poor circulation in your toes and feet are caused by a number of both health and lifestyle issues.
The lifestyle issues tend to be a bit more obvious – many of us work jobs that promote a sedentary lifestyle where we sit all day at a desk, and then sit in a car on our commute home, and then sit in front of our television.
Smoking and drinking only exacerbate these problems, making our circulation and overall health worse.
The health issues tend to be more complex – diabetes, arterial issues, varicose veins, Raynaud’s disease. The list of health issues that can cause poor circulation throughout the body is endless.
Please consult your doctor before utilizing any of the treatments on this list.
What Treatment Option Do You Recommend?
We recommend picking up a pair of Physix Gear Compression Socks for your day to day life and then complimenting these with one of the aforementioned circulatory devices.
This is really up to you – some sufferers prefer the ease of a circulation foot booster that can be used with shoes on, such as the MedMassager Speed Foot Massager.
Other people prefer the nice relaxing element of the Brookstone Heated Aqua-Jet Foot Spa and the spa-like experience it provides.
For those who are athletically inclined, suffer from various types of circulatory issues, or want the most powerful circulatory treatment option on the market today, we recommend our top choice – the Air Relax Sequential Compression Device.
Conclusion
Millions of people worldwide suffer from poor circulatory issues in their feet and toes.
Fortunately, all of the suggestions on this list can help promote healthy circulation throughout the body. Consult a medical professional before introducing any new treatment into your life.
In special cases, your doctor may prescribe blood-thinners or decide that surgery if necessary.
References
Sources for more information on circulation:
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/286262 – a study about the effects of smoking on peripheral circulation
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911252/ – a study about the effects of obesity on peripheral circulation, to back up the claim that reducing body weight can improve peripheral circulation
I am the founder of DestroyNailFungus, and I do my best to provide comprehensive guides on health and wellness.
When I’m not running the site, I enjoy spending time outdoors and drinking coffee.