For people with diabetes, good foot care is critical. Poor foot care can lead to many serious consequences, including the possible need to remove part of the foot or leg (amputation).
People with diabetes are more likely to suffer from foot problems because diabetes can damage nerves and reduce blood flow to the foot. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) estimates that 1 in 5 people with diabetes who seek hospitalization do so because of foot problems. Most foot problems can be prevented with proper foot care. Doctors should examine the feet of patients with diabetes at least once a year.
Here is a list of key points for foot care in people with diabetes.
Wash and dry your feet daily
- Use a mild soap.
- Use warm water.
- Pat the skin dry, do not rub the skin hard. Dry the foot thoroughly, with special attention between the toes.
- After cleaning your feet, apply moisturizer to prevent dryness and cracking, but do not apply moisturizer between your toes.
Check your feet daily
- Check the bottom and back of the foot. If you can’t see it yourself, ask someone else to help you look at it.
- Check for dry, cracked skin.
- Check for blisters, cuts, scratches, or other wounds.
- Check for redness, heat, or pressure pain when touching different parts of the foot.
- Check for ingrown nails, corns and calluses.
- If the foot is blistered or painful due to an ill-fitting shoe, do not “pick it up”, apply a bandage, and change the shoe.
Caring for toenails
- After bathing, trim the toenail when it is soft.
- Trim the toenail and smooth the edges with a nail file.
- Never trim the toenail too close to the flesh.
- People with diabetes may need to have their toenails trimmed by a podiatrist.
Be careful when exercising
- Walk and exercise in comfortable shoes.
- Avoid exercise when there is an open wound on the foot.
Wear shoes and socks to protect the foot
How to examine footwear
People with diabetes can check the fit of their shoes by using these simple methods.
- Stand on a piece of paper (make sure you are standing and not sitting flat, as the foot changes shape when you stand).
- Trace the outline of the foot.
- Trace the outline of the shoe.
- Contrast tracing: Is the shoe too narrow? Can the foot fit inside the shoe? The shoe should be at least 1 cm longer than your longest toe and should be the same width as your foot.
Shoe selection strategies for people with diabetes
People with diabetes should keep the following in mind when choosing the right shoes for them.
- Purchase shoes with closed toes and heels.
- Purchase leather shoes with no stitching inside the shoe.
- Make sure you have at least 1 cm of extra space at the end of your longest toe.
- The inside of the shoe should be soft and not rough.
- The outer sole of the shoe should be made of a rigid material.
- The shoe should be at least the same width as your own foot.
Foot safety tips
- People with diabetes should protect their feet.
- Do not delay treatment of mild foot problems. Follow your doctor’s guidelines for diagnosis and treatment and first aid.
- Tell your doctor about foot injuries and infections immediately.
- Check the water temperature with your elbow rather than your foot.
- Never use a heating pad on the foot.
- Do not cross your legs.
- Do not cross your legs.
- Do not treat corns, calluses or other foot problems on your own. Have your doctor treat such problems.
Time to see your doctor
People with diabetes need to be seen if they have any of the following problems with their feet.
- Tinea pedis (cracking between the toes).
- Wounds or cuts on the foot.
- Inset nails.
- Numbness or increased pain in the foot.
- Callus.
- Redness of the foot.
- Darkening of the skin color.
- Bunions.
- Infection.
- Malleolar toe (permanent downward bending of the middle joint of the toe).