Sometimes living your best life includes visisting a specialist, a topic that was covered during the recent Elders Conference.

Podiatrist Nathan Ashby said his patients’ biggest complaint is their inability to walk more than a short distance before needing to rest. The treatment, he said, is to walk more because, for most people, walking increases circulation.

“With decreased circulation, skin also will become affected,” said Dr. Ashby. “Skin can become very dry and toenails become thicker, creating more pressure on the toe bed.”

Problems can arise from the lack of arterial blood flow, causing the foot to turn red, blue or purple; gangrene can result from the lack of blood flow to the toes.

“We have to work hard to catch decreased blood flow earlier so we don’t end up with a gangrene situation,” Dr. Ashby said.

Venous (vein) disease is an additional area to watch out for, as Dr. Ashby explained: “As we age, veins don’t work some times, causing swelling and varicose veins. Support stockings help varicose veins and diabetic socks won’t dig into the skin at the top.”

Other signs a podiatrist will look for are open sores on the legs and deep vein clots, which exhibit sudden swelling in the leg, along with pain and redness.

Skin disorders are also on a podiatrist’s check list: corns, calluses, dermatitis and fungus on toe nails. With age, toenails become thicker and longer, which can be dangerous if people damage them while cutting. Ingrown toenails are another concern and should be “taken care of sooner than later,” said Dr. Ashby. The list continues with other skin disorders, including psoriasis and ulcers.

“Diabetics should do a foot exam every day and have a yearly podiatry appointment,” said Dr. Ashby. “Prevention is a lot easier than solving the problem. Always be mindful of blood flow, skin. Take care of these problems early rather than later.”