Diabetes Foot Care: Helpful Guidelines and Tips

Proper foot care is very important for people with diabetes. Diabetics* often suffer from poor circulation and loss of sensation in their extremities – most commonly of their feet. As the diabetic process continues, neuropathy can lead to sensory difficulties. This condition often leads to poor fitting of shoes creating points of excessive pressure and friction resulting in skin ulcerations, infections, and in the most extreme cases… amputation.

Diabetic Foot Care and Sore Prevention*

In order to avoid the formation of sores due to friction and pressure points. proper shoe fit is absolutely critical. Shoe length and width are equally important and must match the foot’s dimensions properly. In Addition, the heel counter needs to provide proper support, seams and stitching inside the shoe cannot be excessive since this will result in rubbing and chafing that will inevitably result in harmful sores.

The use of orthotic inserts can help prevent the development of friction and pressure sores. The reason is that excessive pronation leads to poor foot function which results in friction and pressure inside the shoe. Common places where unwanted friction can occur are under the ball of the foot and on the outside of the big toe joint where bunions can also form as well as on top of the toe joints.

At Simply Feet, our custom made orthotics and over-the-counter orthotic insoles can assist by creating full-contact footbeds resulting in distributing your body weight over the entire surface of the foot ensuring proper biomechanical gait, helping to prevent excessive friction.

Other tips for Diabetic Foot Care:

• Inspect your feet every day for swelling, sores, discoloration, cuts, blisters, etc. It is recommended that you use a mirror to inspect the bottom of your feet.
• Keep your feet clean. Wash with warm, tepid water with a mild soap. Carefully dry your feet, especially between the toes. Use a lotion or foot cream on dry skin but between the toes. It is instead recommended that foot powder can be used between the toes if desired.
• Keep toenails trimmed. Contact a podiatrist/pedicurist if you need help trimming your nails or need detailed instructions
• Change your socks or stockings every day. It is recommended that you use Seamless fitted socks. Whenever possible, avoid tight elastics.
• Never walk barefoot