In September's Health Check, you'll meet a woman who says the right diagnosis saved her leg.

Betty Liggins would walk miles for the right pair of shoes. She knew something was wrong when severe leg cramps made trips to the mall unbearable.

"I noticed I was unable to shop as much and to walk as much," she says.

A simple test uncovered a serious problem with cholesterol buildup.

An ankle-brachial index measures blood pressure. If the reading is less than 80 percent of the arm there's an issue in the leg.

Betty says "They found I had one working vein in my right leg and it wasn't working very well."

Dr. Tom Webb did bypass surgery, taking a vein from Betty's left leg and putting it in the right but he says most patients with vascular disease won't need that.

The vascular surgeon with Alegent Health says, "We can get them exercising, put them on medicine to lower cholesterol, get 'em to stop smoking, get their blood pressure under control and that makes a huge dent in progression. To be honest, 90 to 95 percent won't have to have anything done if they can make modifications."

Betty is doing her part. She's exercising, taking medication and getting check-ups every six months. Tests measure blood flow and look for blockages. With her doctor's help, she's back shopping.

Betty says, "I do still have pain sometimes but I know when to sit down. I don't power shop, but I shop well."

Dr. Webb says four to five percent of those over 55 have vascular disease. Smokers and people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and a family history are at greater risk.

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