This week is Leg Awareness Week where we at Bromley Healthcare aim to raise awareness and encourage reform in taking care of our lower limbs. Legs are important – 42% of wounds are on the lower-limb, a rate that is only set to increase, and we look to provide the optimum treatment for all leg problems. Leg care is for everyone; legs are often forgotten about in skin care routines, but we should all be making the effort to look after our legs to prevent swelling and leg ulceration.
There are many quick and easy ways to help your legs. One is simply moving. Keeping mobile or just moving your toes or rotating your ankles will improve blood circulation in your legs, which is especially important while sitting down for long periods or on a flight (as summer approaches), it can be done quickly and has large benefits for your legs. Further, take advantage of elevating your legs when resting and always sleep in a bed at night, not in a chair with your feet on the floor. These both improve circulation with fluid in your legs travelling more easily back to your heart, while resting your legs.
Moisturising is key for leg health by keeping the skin hydrated and healthy and making it more resistant to cuts and scratches. These tips are important for leg health and we recommend that everyone takes them on board.
Another important tip is to keep an eye on all wounds. Any breach of the skin is classified as a wound, no matter how small it is, anything from a bug bite to a razor cut should be monitored to make sure it heals and that your skin stays healthy. If the wound fails to heal or begins to deteriorate, please contact your nurse or GP as signposted below. At Bromley Healthcare, our Tissue Viability and District Nursing teams have made big improvements in the way we care for people with leg problems and wounds. The NHS has launched a new transforming wound care strategy which hopes to change the way we care for people with lower leg wounds. Bromley Healthcare became one of the first Test and Evaluation sites for the Health Innovation Network in November 2022. This means that we have been using this new approach to treat people with leg care wounds through our Tissue Viability, Podiatry and District Nursing services
Since starting, we’ve seen the number of people we see for leg dressings and wound care in one of District Nurse bases reduce by approximately a third of the visits. They have also reduced the time that people wait for an assessment to just over 2 weeks! Overall, the teams are truly dedicated to providing excellent care for the people in our communities which is reflected in the success of their services!
We encourage everyone to get involved in the week and raise awareness. We will be wearing bright socks throughout the week!
For more information and to see the events going on this week, check out the Legs Matter Week Website.