If you have diabetes, it is important to make foot care a part of your daily self-care routine.
Bresta Miranda-Palma, MD, professor at the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, says, “This is because complications arise before the patient even realizes there is something wrong with their body. I see people who have staples in their feet and walk for weeks and don’t come to the doctor until they have an infection in their foot.”
When nerves in the feet and legs are damaged, it may not feel like there are small cuts or wounds. This is where screening is important to effectively avoid infection with serious complications, such as gangrene or amputation.
“Daily care of the foot is a top priority,” Miranda-Palma said. “About 85 percent of amputations can be avoided if a patient’s wound is treated promptly.”
This means checking your feet daily and seeing a podiatrist every two to three months to catch problems early.
Diabetes: regular care recommendations for the feet
Daily care
- Wash your feet with mild soap and warm water and dry them. Dry feet thoroughly, especially between the toes, an area more prone to fungal infections. Apply lotion to your feet to prevent cracking, but do not apply lotion between your toes.
- Do not soak your feet for long periods of time, as this can increase the risk of infection if there is skin trauma. If you have nerve damage, be aware of the water temperature. If you don’t notice that the water is too hot, it could burn your skin.
Weekly care
- Trim the toenail horizontally with a nail clipper. If you don’t cut the toenail in a rounded line or don’t reduce the sides of the toenail, it won’t cause an ingrown nail. Sand the edges with a toenail sanding board.
Your daily foot checklist
Check the tops and bottoms of your feet, with the help of a mirror if needed; you can also ask someone to check your feet for you. Also, be sure to have your doctor examine your feet at each visit.
When your doctor examines your feet, be aware that:
- Cuts/scratches: Wash any cuts you find with mild soap and warm water. Use the antibiotic cream recommended by your doctor and dress the wound with a sterile bandage. If your wound becomes red, swollen, oozes blood, or has a pungent, pus-like substance, contact your doctor immediately.
- Ulcers: Scrapes or cuts that are slow to heal, or blisters on the foot from uncomfortable shoes can become infected and lead to ulcers. To prevent foot ulcers, treat the scrape or wound immediately. Always inform your doctor of an ulcer on your foot. It is very important to get immediate treatment.
- Dry skin: Use moisturizing soaps and lotions to keep the skin soft, but do not apply lotion between the toes; lotion between the toes can harbor fungus.
- Blisters: If your shoes don’t fit properly, you may rub blisters. Don’t puncture the blister; this increases the risk of infection. Simply clean and apply an antibacterial cream, then wrap with a bandage.
- Signs of athlete’s foot fungus include cracking, itching, and redness of the skin between the toes. Treat immediately to prevent further infection. Your doctor may recommend tablets or creams.
- Cockles/calluses: Polish with a toenail sanding board or pumice stone after each shower or bath, but do not try to remove the callus all at once; several attempts should be made. Do not buy random drugstore remedies for corns and calluses, and do not cut off or remove corns or calluses easily.
- Soleal warts: These callus-like plantar warts are extremely painful and are caused by a virus that spreads on the bottom of the foot. Seek medical attention for treatment.
- Ingrown toenails: Regularly trimming the toenails and cutting the top of the toenails straight across can help prevent ingrown toenails. When a toenail cuts into the skin, it can cause pain, redness, and infection. If a toenail becomes ingrown, seek medical attention.
- A discolored/yellowed toenail that is thick and brittle means it may have a fungal infection. Your doctor can prescribe long-term medications to treat the infection and improve the appearance of the nail.
- Redness, warmth, swelling, or pain: These are all signs of inflammation and infection. Please seek immediate medical attention.
- Blue or black skin indicates a problem with blood flow. If your feet are cold and your skin appears blue or black, this is an emergency; see a doctor immediately.
Be sure to contact your doctor if you experience any of the following conditions:
- A change in skin color.
- Change in skin temperature.
- Change in skin temperature.
- A change in skin temperature.
- Swelling of the feet or ankles.
- Pain in the leg.
- Persistent pus flowing or slow healing ulcers on the foot.
- Inset toenail or fungal infection of the toenail.
- Cocksore or callus.
- Dry, cracked skin, especially around the heel.
- Odd odor/ or chronic foot odor.
How to protect your feet:
- Do not go barefoot.
- Wear only flat shoes that wrap around your feet.
- Wear only flat shoes that wrap around your feet.
- Be careful when wearing new shoes and let your feet get used to them gradually.
- Make sure the shoes are comfortable.
- Always wear cotton or wool socks.
- When you buy new shoes, wear socks normally.