Your feet can flag heart and circulation problems before classic symptoms show up. These aren’t proof of heart disease, but they’re early warnings worth taking seriously and getting checked.

Watch for persistently cold feet or toes (even in warmth), swelling in the feet/ankles by day’s end (edema), and skin color changes—bluish, purplish, or unusually pale—suggesting poor oxygen delivery.

Also concerning: numbness or pins-and-needles; cramping or pain with walking that eases at rest (claudication); and sores/blisters that heal slowly. These often point to peripheral artery disease (PAD), which travels with higher heart attack and stroke risk—especially in diabetes.

Act fast if symptoms are new, worsening, one-sided, or paired with chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting. See your clinician, and tackle risk factors: don’t smoke, control blood pressure/sugar/cholesterol, stay active, and do regular foot checks. Early care can prevent serious complications.