Alcohol and Foot Health: A Dangerous Mix

Alcohol consumption can have a significant impact on your overall health, and your feet and ankles are no exception. Excessive alcohol intake can lead to a variety of foot and ankle problems, both directly and indirectly. That’s why today, we at PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center are here to walk you through exactly what those dangers are.

Direct Effects of Alcohol on Foot and Ankle Health

Alcohol can damage the nerves in your feet and ankles, leading to numbness, tingling, and pain. This is called neuropathy, and due to the lack of sensation, it impairs your ability to detect and address other foot and ankle problems.

Alcohol also impairs coordination and balance, which increases your risk of fall-related foot injuries such as fractures.

And thanks to your weakened immune system due to alcohol, you are more susceptible to infections, including those affecting the feet and ankles.

Indirect Effects of Alcohol on Foot and Ankle Health

Alcohol abuse can also contribute to foot and ankle problems indirectly by causing systemic problems and organ damage.

Liver disease, for example, can affect blood flow to the feet and ankles, leading to conditions like peripheral artery disease (PAD). Heart disease can also lead to PAD due to the same lack of blood flow.

Similarly, kidney disease can cause fluid retention and lead to swelling in the feet and ankles.

Other Conditions Associated with Alcohol Abuse:

  • Gout: A type of arthritis caused by uric acid buildup in the joints, which popularly affects the feet.

  • Toenail complications: As mentioned previously, alcohol can weaken the immune system and make you more susceptible to infections from ingrown toenails.

  • Charcot foot: A neurological condition that can lead to bone and joint destruction in the foot, it is often associated with diabetes and alcohol abuse.

At PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center, we treat an expansive variety of foot and ankle ailments. Dr. Charlotte George, Dr. Matthew Tschudy, Dr. Rebecca Wiesner, Dr. Kristen Winters, Dr. Laura Vander Poel, and the rest of our team are dedicated to serving our Hartford County patients. To book an appointment at our Enfield location, call (860) 741-3041; for an appointment at our South Windsor location, call (860) 644-6525.

Alcohol ConsumptionPodiatryCare and the Heel Pain CenterAlcohol, Alcohol Consumption, PodiatryCare PC and the Heel Pain Center, Foot Health, Neuropathy, Falls-related Injuries, PAD, Peripheral Artery Disease, Gout, toenail conditions, Charcot FootComment