Cause of foot swelling

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why the swelling is more foot than any other part after injury?

want to know pathophysiology.

difficulty to keep elevated!

most patients worry for swelling more than pain.


suresh

 

Re: foot swelling!

Gravity.

Lymphatic drainage isn't assisted by the same valvular system that prevents venous back flow (when it works). Consequently, a surgical assault will always cause a lot more swelling in the foot, than an equivalent procedure in the hand.

Just a small design flaw...feel free to take it up with your relevant supreme creator in the next firmware upgrade.

LL

 

Another option is move to a planet with no gravity!
Let me know if you find one.
Steve

 

Suresh:

The main reason that foot/ankle swelling is more of a problem than in any other part of the body is because of the physics concept of hydrostatic pressure. The hydrostatic pressure of a fluid column is increased as the density of the fluid is increased and height of the fluid column in increased. Since the foot and ankle are generally at the lowest level below the heart of any part of the body, then the blood vessels of the foot and ankle are subjected to the highest pressures since they have the highest fluid column above them. Higher pressures mean higher filtration rate from the capillaries into the interstitial tissues. Because the dorsal foot has high soft tissue compliance, compared to the plantar foot, where there is low tissue compliance, swelling will naturally occur more on the dorsal foot than on the plantar foot.

How do you reduce foot edema?

1. Raise your feet above your heart to reduce fluid column above foot.
2. Wear support hose to increase the external pressure and interstitial tissue pressure so that the pressure gradient from capillary to interstial tissue is reduced so that filtration rate is also reduced.

Hope this helps.

 

thanks kevin...