Footcare and Diabetes

Diabetes Foot Care

When you have diabetes, proper foot care is very important. Poor foot care with diabetes can lead to serious health problems, including possibly having to remove the foot or leg (amputation).

Examine Your Feet Each Day

•Check the tops and bottoms of your feet. Have someone else look at your feet if you cannot see them.
•Check for dry, cracked skin.
•Look for blisters, cuts, scratches, or other sores.
•Check for redness, increased warmth, or tenderness when touching any area of your feet.
•Check for ingrown toenails, corns, and calluses.
•If you get a blister or sore from your shoes, do not "pop" it. Apply a bandage and wear a different pair of shoes.

Protect Your Feet With Shoes and Socks

•Never go barefoot. Always protect your feet by wearing shoes or hard-soled slippers or footwear.
•Avoid shoes with high heels and pointed toes.
•Avoid shoes that expose your toes or heels (such as open-toed shoes or sandals).These types of shoes  increase your risk for injury and potential infections.
•Try on new footwear with the type of socks you usually wear.
•Do not wear new shoes for more than an hour at a time.
•Look and feel inside your shoes before putting them on to make sure there are no foreign objects or rough areas.
•Avoid tight socks.
Wear natural-fiber socks (cotton, wool, or a cotton-wool blend).
•Wear special shoes if your health care provider recommends them.
•Wear shoes/boots that will protect your feet from various weather conditions (cold, moisture, etc.).
•Make sure your shoes fit properly. If you have neuropathy (nerve damage), you may not notice that your
   shoes are too tight. Perform the "footwear test" described below.

When to Talk to Your Doctor About Foot Care

Your health care provider should examine your feet at each visit. In addition, see your health care provider if you have any of the following problems with your feet:
•Athlete's foot (cracking between the toes)
•Sores or wounds on your feet
•Ingrown toenails
•Increasing numbness or pain
•Calluses
•Redness
•Blackening of skin
•Bunions
•Infection
•Hammer toes (when the middle joint of toes is permanently bent downward)

Extracted from the American Diabetes Association Website