Foot Temperature Before and After Walking in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a pathology that can decrease blood flow to the lower limbs, resulting in the inability to regulate body temperature [1]. The effects of impaired blood flow caused by PAD on body temperature are unclear. The purpose of this study is to compare foot temperature changes before and after walking in healthy people and in patients with PAD. We hypothesize that 1) feet affected by PAD will experience a greater increase in temperature than healthy feet during walking and 2) feet affected by PAD will experience a slower rate of temperature recovery after walking compared to healthy feet. 5 PAD patients and 4 healthy participants took part in this study. Each PAD participant classified their right foot as their PAD affected foot. Each participant rested for 20 minutes before having their foot temperature taken via a thermal camera. The resting period was followed by a 5 minute shod walking period. Thereafter, the participant rested for another 20 minutes with thermal images being taken every 30 seconds. Results show that PAD affected feet decreased in temperature during walking whereas the healthy feet increased in temperature. Healthy feet also cooled off much more during the post-walking rest period than PAD affected feet. These preliminary results suggest that PAD affects the thermoregulation of affected feet, although not in the way we hypothesized. Several parameters associated with blood flow restriction, nerve, and muscle damage produced by PAD must be further researched to understand how PAD affects foot temperature regulation