When I was an OT who specialized in stroke rehab I did not know the temperature of my hemiplegic foot could vary widely. Two studies found a stroke survivor's hemiplegic leg may have atrophy of the superficial femoral artery which reduces blood flow (1, 2). This may explain why my hemiplegic foot feels ice cold by bedtime in the winter. However, poor leg circulation does not explain why my hemiplegic foot is hot and red by bedtime in the summer, even though I have air conditioning. Sometimes my brain interprets this high heat as pain so then I walk barefoot after dinner with my quad cane. The quad cane has four feet that force me to walk slowly which is irritating. A stroke taught me things I did not learn from an advanced certification course or treating stroke survivors. homeafterstroke.blogspot.com
1. Durant MJ, et al. Superficial femoral artery atrophy and reduced lower limb blood flow in
subacute stroke survivors. Stroke. 2020(Feb);51:ATP484.
2. Ivey FM, et al. Impaired leg vasodilatory function after stroke. Stroke. 2010(Oct);41:2913-2917.
It no longer amazes me the things they did not teach me in school even advanced courses. There have been too many instances.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the symptoms are initially the same for a stroke and drastically low blood sugar and a stroke just added to my confusion with my first stroke. My blood sugar was 40. It delayed my seeking help for a stroke by almost an hour while I tried to raise my blood sugar. We were never taught that a stroke can cause sugar levels to drop only raise at the onset of a stroke. Sad, but they still only teach that to emergency specialists.
I actually knew about poor circulation in lower legs because of a stroke. It's one of the things my cardiologist always checked on. But then I have diabetic neuropathy in both feet long before I had a stroke. They are always hot, red, and swollen by bedtime. Mine actually in pain because of the neuropathy, but the circulation is good.