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(08) 6110 0570admin@pdchealthhub.com.auSwollen ankles, heavy legs and skin changes can come from weakened leg veins. Podiatry care checks your blood supply first, then fits compression and looks after your skin.
Chronic venous insufficiency happens when the valves in the leg veins stop working well, so blood flows back down the leg and pools instead of returning to the heart.1 It can cause swollen ankles, heavy or aching legs that feel worse by the end of the day, darkened or itchy skin, and sometimes ulcers just above the ankle (venous leg ulcers).1,2 Venous ulcers are the most common type of leg ulcer.2
Compression stockings or bandages are the mainstay of care, and they help venous leg ulcers heal.2,4 They are only safe when the arterial blood supply is adequate, so we check for arterial disease first, using your history, an examination of your legs and feet and usually an ankle brachial index.3 Guidelines differ on how low a reading is too low, so low or borderline results go to a vascular specialist.5 Once compression is safe, it is measured, fitted and replaced regularly, with skin care and dressings as needed.3
PHOTO NEEDED · Add a Hero Image to this condition in the CMS: a PDC clinician with a client, natural light, no identifiable health information on screen
Symptoms are a guide, not a diagnosis. Your GP confirms the diagnosis; our team helps you manage it day to day.
The teams and services that most often support people with this condition. They work from one shared plan, and one GP referral reaches all of them.
Our care follows current Australian consumer guidance on leg ulcers and varicose veins, the 2023 Australian wound standards as summarised by QUT, and Cochrane evidence on compression.
Most people notice swollen ankles and heavy, aching or tired legs, often worse by the end of the day. Over time the skin around the ankles can darken or become itchy, and some people develop a sore just above the ankle. Symptoms vary from mild to troublesome.
Usually, yes. Compression is the main treatment for venous problems, but it can harm a leg with poor arterial blood supply. An assessment of the arteries, often including an ankle brachial index, comes first. Do not start strong compression on your own, especially with a sore leg.
Compression is the main treatment, alongside wound dressings, skin care and treating infection, and healing improves when it is correctly fitted and used. We fit compression stockings rather than applying compression bandaging, and your GP may also refer you to a vascular surgeon about the underlying vein problem.
See a doctor if symptoms bother you, the skin colour changes, a wound is not healing, or you see signs of infection. Get urgent care if compression causes numbness or severe pain. A podiatrist can assess your legs and feet and liaise with your GP.
No referral is needed for private appointments. A Medicare rebate needs a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan and a GP referral, and applies to up to five eligible allied health services a calendar year. Private health extras often cover podiatry, and DVA or NDIS funding may apply in some cases.
Tell us what is going on and we will point you to the right discipline, or to more than one. Most people start with a single appointment and leave with a plan the rest of the team can see.
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