Footwear Importance For Diabetic Patients

Why is Foot care so important to those with Diabetes?

Foot care is one of the most important aspects of overall diabetes care. There are a wide variety of reasons why Diabetes foot care is very important for patients with diabetes. And also poor foot health can impede work performance and even result in lost time from work. And with poor foot health, you’re less likely to engage in physical activity.

Here are some reasons why you can’t choose to ignore the issue:

1. There is extensive damage to the brain that happens when one is afflicted with diabetes. This damage could easily spread to the feet if not detected. Medically known as peripheral neuropathy this makes the upkeep of your foot essential if you are suffering from diabetes
2. There is a possibility that you will only detect the injury after a long time, the infection could spread and could become fatal, sometimes even leading to the amputation of the leg. (Leg or foot amputation is the removal of a leg, foot or toes from the body)
3. Diabetes affects your blood circulation in a crucial manner, poor circulation can lead to multiple problems constantly slowing down the healing process of the body. Since legs are more likely to accidental damages and have a higher chance of remaining undetected.
4. Damages to the skin of your feet will not be sensed due to peripheral neuropathy. This makes it more prone to infections as the healing capacity of the body is already low due to diabetes.
5. Foot ulcers are very common among diabetes patients and it often develops into a further complication.
6. Charcot’s Joints is a serious condition associated with diabetes, often causing severe damage to the legs. Medically known as neuropathic arthropathy this condition lead to gradual degradation of bones.

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Foot care if you have diabetes.

Now that you have understood the risks that diabetes poses to your feet, you need to know about the major misconceptions when it comes to diabetic foot care. Below is the list of do’s and don’ts if you are suffering from diabetes and needs to take care of your feet.

Foot Care tips mainly for Diabetic

Diabetic foot care is one of the most important aspects of diabetic care, it is very important that you take care of your feet in the right style to avoid serious complication that can arise due to diabetes. Here are some highly useful tips that you can use to make sure that your feet is maintained in a healthy and non-risky manner.

Wash and dry your feet regularly

It’s highly advisable that you do a wash and dry for your feet when you take your daily showers. Keep in mind that you do not rub hard on your feet as it might be delicate and can lead to bruises or cuts. Resort to patting your skin dry with a soft towel or tissue, make sure your feet are completely dry before you step out or wear your diabetic footwear. Apply moisturizer to keep your feet hydrated and to avoid cracks. But do remember to never apply it between your toes.

Do Feet checkups on a regular basis:

Make sure to check on your feet before going to bed.  It might be difficult for you to wash and dry your feet while traveling, but please check your feet if there are any cuts or sores. If you notice any abnormality including increased redness, sore or extra warmth in any one region be sure you get it checked out soon.  Also, check if there are any ingrowing toenails and get it checked with a podiatrist soon ( is a medical professional devoted to the treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower extremity)

Keep your feet safe with fitting diabetic footwear:

It’s very important that you select the right diabetic footwear as it has the responsibility of keeping your feet safe from both inside and outside. Avoid wearing high heels or footwear of other fashions that can cause tension to any part of your feet. Clean socks is must and never try on a new shoe for more than an hour as it can cause bruises or cuts due to bad fitting.

Symptoms

Make sure you seek your Doctor if something is wrong –

If you find something is wrong with your feet, do not wait long to consult a doctor. Especially if you find any of the below-listed symptoms on your feet:

• Visible sores or wounds around your foot.
• Developing cracks between toes also known as Athlete’s foot.
• Corns or Calluses
• Bending of the middle joints of toes in a downward fashion ( Hammer Toes)
• Toenails growing inwards
• Redness or blackening of skin
• Bunions (A painful hump below the big toe)
• Infections

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What Shoes Should Diabetics Wear?

A diabetic patient must be very careful when it comes to choosing the right type of footwear. Even though there are multiple vendors who sell diabetic footwear, it is very essential that you always do check on the the genuinity of the product as there are so many fake products available in the market. Do consult with your doctor before you buy your slippers .