When it is very cold, the feet can swell because fluid accumulates in the tissues and muscles. In healthy people, foot swelling can occur from time to time and usually resolves spontaneously after resting, caring for, or elevating the feet. Sometimes the inflammation can be persistent or severe, it can cause complications such as stiffness, chronic or painful swelling, skin ulcerations, difficulty walking, risk of infections and even decreased blood circulation.
Swollen feet from the cold
- The feet can swell from the cold at any age as it occurs due to a condition external to us, due to too low temperatures that can sometimes lead to frostbite of the extremities. In children and the elderly it can occur more frequently and with worse consequences.
- When the cold has nothing to do with it and there is excessive swelling of the foot or leg, it is called peripheral edema. This problem can also happen at any age but is more common in adults. Older people also experience this problem from wasting muscles and blood vessels, or perhaps from other medical conditions such as diabetes. Athletes who engage in activities with a high impact on their legs may also suffer from peripheral edema.
- When your feet are swollen due to the cold, it is necessary to take some measures immediately, for example: find a source of heat quickly, move your feet by walking to prevent them from freezing, massage your feet to improve circulation, etc.
- If you notice that your feet are too swollen from the cold and you notice that it is not normal how you have them, they hurt or you have a different coloration in your legs blue or purple, go immediately to your health center so that they can assess the severity and find a solution as soon as possible.
