PAD

Living well with peripheral arterial disease

Walking every day and caring for your feet can help you stay active and avoid serious problems.

Written by Neil Hyde Last checked 1 minute read

On this page
  1. Keep walking
  2. Look after your feet
  3. Heart healthy living
  4. Support

Keep walking

Walk every day if you can, building up the distance over time. Walk until the pain gets quite bad, rest until it goes, then carry on.

Look after your feet

Poor blood flow means cuts and sores heal slowly and can become infected.

  • check your feet every day for cuts, sores or colour changes
  • wear comfortable shoes and keep your feet warm
  • see a podiatrist for nail and foot care, especially if you have diabetes
  • get help quickly for any sore that is not healing

Heart healthy living

  • stop smoking
  • eat less saturated fat and salt
  • keep diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol under control

Support

The Circulation Foundation has information about PAD and its treatment.

Sources we used

We check this page at least once a year, and sooner when the rules change. Read how we check our facts, or tell us if something looks wrong.