Routine Diabetic Foot Care You Can Trust

What You Need To Know

How diabetes affects your feet and why routine podiatric care matters.

Preventive Care for Diabetic Feet

Diabetes occurs when there is too much glucose (sugar) in the blood. The body cannot manufacture or properly use insulin, so it is unable to convert sugars and starches into energy, leaving an elevated amount of blood sugar. Too much glucose in the bloodstream can damage the feet, heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.

Diabetes may affect the feet in a number of ways, so diabetics should pay close attention to any changes such as loss of feeling, any change in the shape of the feet, or chronic ulcers or sores. Neuropathy, or nerve damage, results from too much blood sugar. With neuropathy, feeling is reduced in the feet, so any damage such as a cut or scrape can worsen. Because diabetes also causes poor circulation, healing blood cannot easily reach the wound, resulting in infection and a non-healing wound.

Warning signs often appear in the feet and can include swelling, numbness, leg pain, skin color changes, slow-healing sores, fungal toenails, and calluses or corns that bleed. Letting these problems go unattended may lead to lower-extremity amputations.

In addition to checking their feet daily, people with diabetes should see a podiatrist regularly and contact a health care provider immediately if they notice redness, swollen areas, or calluses. Early recognition of problems such as an ulcer, along with regular foot screenings, can help reduce the risk of lower limb amputation by up to 85%. If you are newly diagnosed or dealing with a wound that has been slow to heal, contact us to get evaluated.

Our Approach to Preventive Diabetic Foot Care

We specialize in offering comprehensive foot assessments to determine your individualized risk level. Not all patients with diabetes are at the same risk for getting into trouble with their feet. Some patients we will want to see every three to four months for preventive diabetic foot care, while others can go a year before another foot evaluation. It is important to know where you stand.

For patients at heightened risk, having a foot callus trimmed down every two to three months is an essential component to staying ulcer free. Having a podiatrist cut your nails will also keep them well-groomed while minimizing the chances for infection. A podiatrist is trained to detect signs of potential complications that you may not notice on your own.

Proper footwear is essential for diabetics, and that can mean getting higher risk patients into protective or specialty footwear. In our offices, we can accommodate even the most challenging patients with foot orthoses and custom braces. For those who are eligible, diabetic shoes and inserts may also be covered by insurance with little-to-no out-of-pocket expense.

Good daily habits at home go hand in hand with professional care. Wash your feet daily and dry carefully, moisturize to keep skin supple, cut toenails straight across, check shoes for objects before wearing, and never walk barefoot. With vigilant care at home and regular visits with your podiatrist, you can protect the long-term health of your feet.