Foot care for diabetics

Diabetes can affect anyone at any age and from any background. If you have diabetes, it is essential to have your feet checked regularly.

At your appointment with InStep Foot Health, you will be asked about your condition. Your feet will be checked over from top to bottom and in between the toes. We will then do a test, using a monofilament – a piece of equipment that we use to detect how much pressure you can feel. Many people with diabetes lead a normal life without having any foot problems and looking after your own feet, being aware of how they look and being alert to any changes will go a long way to ensure that that remains the case.

Why are feet important for diabetics? When you have diabetes, your circulation is affected, and this can result in some nerve damage in your feet. This means that you don’t feel as much in your feet as you might once have done, and it can mean that cuts and sores take much longer to heal. You might not even know you have a cut because you can’t feel it. Regular appointments with a foot health professional or podiatrist will ensure that your feet are being looked after. If there is anything that causes concern, we can write a letter to your GP.

Home care: There are plenty of things that you can do at home to ensure that you keep your feet healthy:

  • check your shoes before you put them on to ensure that there are no stones or other objects inside
  • think about your socks: avoid ones that are too tight or have thick seams that could cause friction
  • look after your toenails: cut them regularly and ensure that you are leaving no sharp edges that might rub on other toes
  • get to know your feet. If you know what they normally look like and how they feel, you will notice if they seem different.
  • avoid any treatments that might have acids in them, such as corn plasters
  • keep your feet moisturised. This is important to ensure that you don’t get cracked heels or develop fissures that can allow an entry point for infection
  • dry between your toes to stop athletes foot developing
  • get your feet checked regularly

Picture: Cristian Newman