7 Factors That Can Slow Healing and Make Wound Care More Challenging

If you’re dealing with a slow-healing and/or chronic wound, you’re far from alone, with the issue affecting 2.5% of the total population in the United States.

Whether it’s your first slow-healing wound or you have a recurring one, it’s all hands on deck when it comes to healing. Anything short of an all-out effort can put you on a road to far bigger problems, such as growing infection and amputation.

So, if you’re dealing with a chronic foot, ankle, or leg wound, the team here at Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County, which is led by Dr. Thomas Rambacher, wants to share a few of the common hurdles to healing in the hopes you can address as many as possible.

1. Being overweight

If you have repeated problems with chronic and open leg wounds and you’re carrying excess pounds, it’s a very good idea to lose weight. Nearly three-quarters of Americans are overweight or have obesity and this extra weight can slow down circulation and disrupt the healing process.

2. Poor diet

You really are what you eat and when your body is trying to heal, it’s imperative that you provide excellent resources through your diet. This means moving away from foods that are rich in calories, yet poor in nutrition (junk foods and processed foods) to foods that promote health.

In other words, transitioning to a diet that favors fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean proteins, and whole grains will help you to heal.

3. Smoking

If you smoke or vape, it’s time to quit, especially if you’re dealing with slow-healing wounds. Tobacco use is a fast road to cardiovascular disease that will further slow healing in your body.

4. Uncontrolled diabetes

As a leading driver of slow healing wounds, it’s important to vigilantly manage your diabetes at all times. And if you’ve already developed a diabetic ulcer, then you have to be extra vigilant about controlling your blood sugar levels.

5. Stress

There’s no shortage of stress these days. A poll in 2024 found that 43% of Americans are reporting more stress and anxiety than the year before.

When you’re stressed, there’s a metabolic shift in your body and healing resources can be diverted from where they need to be. So, if you’re dealing with high levels of stress and a slow-healing wound, it’s a great idea to find ways to de-stress.

6. Taking wound care shortcuts

Our team prides itself on working closely with patients to make sure that they are properly managing slow-healing wounds at home. So, please, follow our wound care instructions to the letter, especially when it comes to dressings and ointments, and stick to your schedule. No shortcuts or delaying a wound dressing change.

7. Ignoring the signs of trouble

We want you to be very mindful of any changes in your wound that might signal a problem. Our biggest goal is to prevent infection from setting in and spreading. So, if you see any changes in your wound, no matter how small, please let us know right away.

With some vigilance and a few lifestyle changes on your part, and diligent care on ours, we’re confident that we can help you get to the other side of your chronic leg or foot wound.

If you want more great strategies for prompting healing in your chronic wound, we invite you to call our office in Mission Viejo, California, at 949-832-6018 or request an appointment online today.