When your legs ache while walking but feel fine after resting, it’s not just aging—it could be peripheral artery disease, a condition where narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to your limbs, often due to plaque buildup. Also known as PAD, it’s a warning sign that your heart and blood vessels are under stress. This isn’t rare. About 1 in 20 Americans over 50 have it, and many don’t know until something serious happens.
PAD doesn’t always show up with dramatic pain. Some people feel only mild discomfort, others get cramps in their calves, thighs, or hips after walking even a short distance. That’s called claudication, the classic symptom of PAD where muscle pain occurs during activity and fades with rest. You might also notice cold feet, weak pulses in your legs, sores that won’t heal, or hair loss on your lower legs. These aren’t just annoyances—they’re signals your body is starved for oxygen. If you smoke, have diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, your risk goes up fast. And if you ignore these signs, PAD can lead to tissue death, amputation, or a heart attack.
What’s often missed is how PAD connects to other health problems. The same plaque blocking leg arteries can be clogging arteries to your heart or brain. That’s why someone with PAD has a much higher chance of stroke or heart disease. It’s not just a leg issue—it’s a full-body red flag. The good news? Catching it early means you can slow or stop the damage with simple lifestyle changes, medication, or sometimes a quick procedure. You don’t need to wait until you’re in pain to act.
The posts below cover real cases, hidden risks, and practical steps—like how certain medications can worsen circulation, why some people mistake PAD for arthritis, and what tests actually show if your arteries are narrowing. You’ll find advice on managing symptoms without surgery, how diet and walking help more than you think, and what to ask your doctor when your legs start acting up. This isn’t theoretical. These are the tools people use every day to take back control.
Peripheral artery disease causes leg pain, slow-healing sores, and increases heart attack risk. Learn the key symptoms, how it's diagnosed with a simple ankle test, and proven treatments that work - from walking to medication.