Diabetes and Your Feet

Diabetes and Your Feet

Diabetes is a chronic condition whereby an increase in glucose in the bloodstream affects many organ systems and tissues. Diabetes can affect the feet. Diabetes may reduce blood flow or cause nerve damage in the feet, which can lead to a non-healing area that becomes infected. This could in turn result in amputation of a toe, foot or leg.

I would like to discuss some important guidelines for diabetic foot care

Inspect Feet Daily It is so important for diabetics to check their feet daily for any sores, cuts, blisters, redness, swelling. If anything is found on observation, please call your podiatrist.

Never Walk Barefoot With decreased sensation commonly found in diabetes, you may step on something and cause a cut and/or infection. This includes not walking barefoot at home also!

Get Regular Foot Exams By A Podiatrist This will help prevent possible foot complications of diabetes and maintain good foot health.

Control Your Diabetes It is important to maintain controlled blood sugar levels and see your primary care specialist for proper control of your diabetes.

Be Healthy Take care of yourselfexercise, lose weight, stop smoking and limit alcohol consumption.

Moisturize The Skin Apply a light moisturizing cream over the tops and bottoms of the feet, but NOT between the toes.

No “Bathroom Surgery” Never trim your own corns and calluses. See your podiatrist.

Regarding Socks Be sure that your socks are clean and dry and change them daily. Be sure to make sure that they do not have tight elastic bands that could reduce blood flow/circulation.

Use Lukewarm Water Only When washing your feet, be gentle and use a soft washcloth and blot dry carefully including drying carefully between the toes. Never use electric blankets, hot water bottles or heating pads.

Fitting Of Footwear This is very important to avoid any friction, blistering from improper fitting of shoegear. Get your feet measured by an experienced shoe fitter and shoes should fit lengthwise and width with plenty of room for toes and should not require any “breaking-in” period.

Nail Care Nails should be trimmed straight across. It is recommended that a diabetic with poor vision, nerve damage in their feet or circulatory issues in their feet should have their nails cut by a podiatrist.

If you are a diabetic, today is the day to start taking good care of your feet.