Overcome claudication pain, and numb feet, to regain an active life-style.
I empower those over 50, with moderate to severe PAD, to take charge of their health, using my unique mix of medical training and personal experience of PAD, built into a simple PAD training plan.
Multiple supporting videos on YouTube.
Here are some of the tools you need to fight PAD
It's Simple when you know how
A little science helps a lot, I'll explain
It's Simple when you know how
I'll teach you how to use these tools, you could say weapons, to fight your way back to an:
ACTIVE PAIN-FREE LIFE.
These you have already
A little science helps a lot, I'll explain
It's Simple when you know how
The muscles of the feet are much neglected, but they will become your most important friends.
I'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO USE THEM!
A little science helps a lot, I'll explain
A little science helps a lot, I'll explain
A little science helps a lot, I'll explain
Information and skilled training will have you using your feet.
TURN YOUR FEET INTO BLOOD PUMPS
If You Prefer, You Can Read My Books
I prefer to read, to each his own
This was my first book on peripheral artery disease (PAD) where I cover general back ground, and introduce some exercises.
More about your feet
It is critical to wake up your feet, and convert them into remote blood pumping stations. That is the focus of this book, and the associated YouTube videos.
If you prefer a paper book
Use whatever works for you, as you take charge of your PAD and thus your life. Best of luck for your work and training, -kev aka FitOldDog
approaches to a peripheral artery disease (PAD) walking plan
Endurance (left) versus intensity training
Walking training is critical for fighting peripheral artery disease. To grow collaterals, while mastering the body movement skills you will need to keep your feet, and keep on enjoying an active life. This is a challenging and fascinating, process, which I've based on my veterinary medical, athletic, and body-movement training.
Endurance walking approach to growing collaterals
I use a pain scale of 1-5: (1) mild discomfort, (2) clear discomfort, (3) distinct but mild claudication pain, (4) marked claudication pain with no dysfunction, (5) severe claudication, inducing dysfunction. For endurance walking, I keep the pain between 3 and 4, and I can do this for ages.
Intensity walking approach
With level 5 claudication pain, I'm forced to stop as my feet slap the ground, risking bruising to the balls of my feet. I then wait, as my calves and feet refill with fresh blood, taking pain to a level 2, then I start again. You can see the difference from the endurance approach, as my pulse climbs. This kicks my ass, for a gain of 5 minutes over the 5k distance. I could not keep this up much longer.
Here's my pad story - it really sucks, but fight back
PAD reared its ugly head, while running marathons. Calf pain (claudication). Fortunately, as a veterinary pathologist, I have medical training focused on solving disease problems. Life-long amateur athlete, with body movement skills, Ideally trained to tackle the PAD problem, once doctors have done all they can,
Meet Kym and me on Collateral Nation, Wednesdays EST, 11:00
Click image to watch an issue of Collateral nation, with Kym Mcnicholas and Myself
It's great to be able to talk directly with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) patients, and help them solve their PAD problems.
Do you have Peripheral artery disease (PAD)? I sure do, so I'll tell you what is working for me.
ONCE THE PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS HAVE DONE ALL THEY CAN:
- You can keep your feet, by encouraging the growth of new blood vessels (collaterals) around the blockages in your legs.
- Just walking is not enough, believe you me. Been there, tried that! As a veterinaray pathologist, I decided to tackle the problem.
- I'll teach you how to modify your body movement to encourage blood flow, (a) TO your feet and calves, by promoting the growth of collaterals, (b) THROUGH your feet, by reducing resistance to blood flow in your feet, and, (c) BACK FROM your feet and calves, by engaging foot and calf muscle action to improve venous return.
- I finished a 13.1-mile run/walk, in a recent half Ironman race, proving my new “remote blood pumping stations” method works with severe PAD. No calf claudication or numb feet, unless I turned off my foot pumps, in which case I got calf claudication almost immediately. Full details in my recent newsletter, at this link.
Finishing 3rd. in my age group, 80-84, in the 2023 World 70.3 Ironman Championships, Lahti, Finland,
They gave me a PAD award for my work - that's nice!
thank you kym mcnicholas, much appreciated
This award was from The Way to My Heart, where Kym fights avoidable PAD amputations. This was for my work on arterial occlusive disease. Reminds me of the movie, "The Wizard of Oz."
Why?
I'm English by origin, and we don't handle compliments very well. We tend to shuffle our feet and look awkward, so I did. That said, it was very kind of Kym McNicholas of "Way to my Heart" fame. Kym saves many from avoidable amputations, and she is one of my heroines.
Never Stop pushing the envelope
Overcoming pain to grow collaterals and finish the race
Here I am in Finland at age 80, with severe arterial occlusive disease, finishing the 2023 World Half Ironman Championships in Lahti, Finland. I'm running almost entirely on collaterals in my right foot, as there is no detectable dorsal pedal pulse. Symptoms of similar vascular occlusion are now appearing in my left leg. However, Ironman training-induced collaterals are keeping me going. This demonstrates the power of exercise to overcome peripheral artery disease, due to the body's adaptability to stress.
That race kicked my butt, but it was a blast
In spite of lots of training, that was a tough race. They gave me a medal, but, as I said at the time I would have preferred some pizza. I know what to do with pizza.
One way to fight back against arterial occlusive disease is through exercise, starting with a peripheral artery disease walking program. The more the better, including lots of cross training, for which biking and swimming work like magic. The human body is highly adaptive. When we induce the pain of claudication or numb feet, due to poor a blood supply, Our body responds by growing new vessels to send blood around the blockage.
This allows me to continue enjoying my favorite sport, Ironman.
Peripheral artery disease is tough
Arterial occlusive disease, is due to blockage by plaque. These vessels normally take blood to our feet, while the blockage can lead to loss of toes, feet, and lower legs, due to gangrene and the need for life-saving amputations.
Remarkably, our bodies can adapt by growing new blood vessels. Did you know you are also growing collaterals in your heart, which is good, because many people with PAD also have heart disease.
I've never been on a magazine cover before!
Along with several other people fighting Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), my work on PAD artery disease treatment throwas featured in the Health Monitor magazine. Much appreciated, as the role of exercise in arterial occlusive disease therapy needs further emphasis.