Poor Toe Circulation

Isaac Kramer

Barefooters
Sep 2, 2022
16
7
3
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My feet have always been cold. And I kind of thought that by just walking and being barefoot more would help with my circulation in my toes and feet in general, which, I think it has slightly but not really for my toes.

I take ice baths in the winter and I would be able to stay in longer if it weren't for my toes. They are always the first to go. Some times I'll get out of the water and my toes are white. Of course, I don't stay in long enough for frostbite or anything but they'll be white and numb and you can clearly tell that they're not getting the blood flow that they need. The rest of my body will be completely fine. And when they do get like that, I massage them for a while until they feel alright again.

All my life, my feet has always been cold and lacking in circulation. I really want to change that.

So, I was wondering what I can do to basically tell my body that... my toes need blood too. Should I just massage them every day for 10-15 minutes?
 
The Doctor will be with you shortly...
 
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I'll be waiting :D
Dr. Mark is the main one who responds, and he's normally pretty quick about it, even considering he is quite busy. PM me if he doesn't reply soon.
 
What do you consider "soon" to be? I'm fine with waiting.
Normally, he responds within a day or two. Understandably, he must have a lot going on. I’ll reach out to him again. Sorry for the wait.
 
Isaac it is tough over email to tell if this is just vasospasm which is a harmless condition versus actual poor circulation in your foot. we see circulation problems in people with diabetes and other vascular diseases. But it sounds like circulation is fine at baseline and when warm.

vasospasm condition is called Reynauds and some people can remedy this with some gradual exposure but often the solution is to keep your hands and feet warm so running in the winter barefoot simply is not a good idea if it's uncomfortable.

One idea if you want to do some barefoot is to always carry with you something warm so if you do a few minutes barefeet and as you start to get cold put on some minimal shoes to warm your feet up. Rinse and repeat as you feel.

My winter favorite kit is wool injinji socks and sandals

Hope this helps

Mark
 
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Isaac it is tough over email to tell if this is just vasospasm which is a harmless condition versus actual poor circulation in your foot. we see circulation problems in people with diabetes and other vascular diseases. But it sounds like circulation is fine at baseline and when warm.

vasospasm condition is called Reynauds and some people can remedy this with some gradual exposure but often the solution is to keep your hands and feet warm so running in the winter barefoot simply is not a good idea if it's uncomfortable.

One idea if you want to do some barefoot is to always carry with you something warm so if you do a few minutes barefeet and as you start to get cold put on some minimal shoes to warm your feet up. Rinse and repeat as you feel.

My winter favorite kit is wool injinji socks and sandals

Hope this helps

Mark
Hi! Thank you so much for the response! I've been trying to find a barefoot friendly doctor near my home to get an accurate read of what is actually going on. But yes, circulation is definitely fine when warm.

As of late, I've been using a percussion massage gun, trying, almost every day. I read that consistent proper use can increase blood flow long term. Whether that is true or not, I suppose it could be worth a try. My end goal is to not have to depend on anything other than my body at least for a decent amount of time in the cold.

My brother's feet is able to withstand the cold much better than mine. When walking in cold water for a few minutes, you can feel a night and day difference, with his toes being quite warm to the touch and mine just... cold.

If you have any thoughts on the percussion massage gun, let me know! Thank you, again. I will definitely start bring my minimal shoes with me when running in the cold.
 
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Isaac it is tough over email to tell if this is just vasospasm which is a harmless condition versus actual poor circulation in your foot. we see circulation problems in people with diabetes and other vascular diseases. But it sounds like circulation is fine at baseline and when warm.

vasospasm condition is called Reynauds and some people can remedy this with some gradual exposure but often the solution is to keep your hands and feet warm so running in the winter barefoot simply is not a good idea if it's uncomfortable.

One idea if you want to do some barefoot is to always carry with you something warm so if you do a few minutes barefeet and as you start to get cold put on some minimal shoes to warm your feet up. Rinse and repeat as you feel.

My winter favorite kit is wool injinji socks and sandals

Hope this helps

Mark
agree. Listen to your body. People are very different in this respect. Our trecking guides were fascinated that my toes were still pink and warm as we crossed the glacier towards Everest Base Camp. If they were cold or numb, I would have put something on my feet.
 
agree. Listen to your body. People are very different in this respect. Our trecking guides were fascinated that my toes were still pink and warm as we crossed the glacier towards Everest Base Camp. If they were cold or numb, I would have put something on my feet.
Fascinating! I’d like to know more about your trek. Did you ever write a report about it? Pictures?