Photos of Donald Trump with severely swollen ankles at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday sparked health fears. Now, a physician has raised concerns that the US President may be facing a serious health issue.
Dr Jeff Foster, Medical Director of Manual, told ReachPlc what Trump’s swollen ankles could mean. "Ankle swelling can be due to a range of factors: anything from standing up for too long in the hot weather, to heart or liver problems,” he said. "The big one we worry about is heart failure which is a condition where the heart cannot pump the blood around the body fast enough which results in fluid pooling in the feet and ankles.”
Foster added, "While we all get a tight rim round our socks in the heat, we don't usually see any significant ankle swelling in anyone who is fit and well and this would beg the question as to whether there is something more significant health wise going on."
Trump and his wife Melania were present at the finals match at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey, where the President was photographed from a head-on angle, providing a frontal view of his shoes and ankles. Social media users were quick to notice that his ankles were swollen.
Why Donald Trump may have lost weight
{{/usCountry}}Trump and his wife Melania were present at the finals match at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey, where the President was photographed from a head-on angle, providing a frontal view of his shoes and ankles. Social media users were quick to notice that his ankles were swollen.
Why Donald Trump may have lost weight
{{/usCountry}}Many have also pointed out that Trump seems to have lost weight in recent days. In a conversation with the Irish Star, Dr. Daniel Atkinson explained what may have caused this.
"For a hypothetical person, who has taken on the office of President of the United States for a second term, at the age of 80, there might be several factors that could affect their weight,” Atkinson explained. "A person who's almost 80 with a busy schedule might be more at risk of certain conditions that can cause weight loss.”
He added, "Diabetes, for example, can cause weight changes when the condition is unmanaged. Blood sugar can be harder to manage as we get older, and insulin resistance can develop with age.”