ExplainerWhy foot problems can be symptoms of heart trouble, and what to look out for

Problems affecting the heart and blood vessels tend to show up in feet first. Symptoms to look out for range from swelling to colour changes to ice-cold toes

On the flip side, a healthy heart safeguards the health of your legs and feet. A Hong Kong doctor provides tips for keeping your cardiovascular system in shape

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Problems with your feet could be a sign there is something wrong with your heart. Experts describe what to look out for, and how to maintain good heart health. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 4:15pm, 19 Aug 2023

The feet may be quite far from the heart, but they can reveal a lot about the health of your heart and your blood circulation.

The cardiovascular system’s main role is to deliver oxygenated blood around our body, while the feet support us when we move, says podiatrist Sean Farnan, of the Hong Kong Foot Clinic.

We need to move to maintain good cardiovascular health, but the relationship between heart and feet runs deeper than that – and some issues with the heart and blood vessels tend to show up in the feet first.

Well-known early signs of cardiovascular disease include shortness of breath, an irregular heartbeat and chest pain. But another key symptom to look out for is swelling in the lower limbs and feet, says Dr David Lo Ka-yip, a resident consultant in cardiology at Hong Kong Adventist Hospital.

The feet may be quite far from the heart, but they can reveal a lot about a body’s cardiac health. Photo: Shutterstock

“Oedema is swelling or puffiness caused by fluid retention in our body’s tissues. Oedema can affect any part of the body but it’s more likely to show up in our legs and feet,” Lo says.

A common cause of oedema in the legs and feet is congestive heart failure – which causes one or both of the heart’s lower chambers to stop pumping blood efficiently. The result can be blood backed up in our legs, ankles and feet, causing swelling.