Looking after your feet -

Looking after your feet

Diabetes and your feet

Having diabetes means you have to take good care of your feet. This is because diabetes may make feet more susceptible to injury and infection.

Diabetic nerve damage to your feet can reduce your ability to feel pain, heat or cold in your feet. Your "pain alarm system" that tells you something is wrong may slowly disappear. Many people with diabetes also develop poor blood circulation and have trouble fighting infections.

Learning good foot care

Learning good foot care habits can help prevent foot problems. As well as looking after your feet on a day to day basis, you should also visit a chiropodist regularly. Your diabetes centre may have a chiropodist, or will have information about where to find one.

Advice about foot care

You may have been given advice about foot care soon after you were diagnosed with diabetes, even if you have no current foot problems. You may have thought you didn’t need this advice if your feet are fine at the moment.

It makes sense to start caring for your feet early, because many long-term problems can be avoided if you establish a daily foot care routine early.

Foot examinations every day

Examine your feet every day and report problems immediately. Look for cuts or bruises. Check for changes in skin and nails. Check your feet in good light. Use a mirror to see the entire foot.

Have your feet examined regularly by your chiropodist, doctor or foot care team.

Signs of infection

Learn to spot the first signs of infection. Your skin may be warmer than usual, red or swollen. Pain and tenderness suggest that your pain alarm system is still working. Foot infections need to be treated straight away by your doctor or foot care team.

Reduced sensation

Your pain sensation in your feet may decrease or disappear because of diabetes. Often you can’t tell when this happens. Regular examination by your chiropodist is important.

Be alert to signs such as:

Prickly pain in the feet
Numbness
Peculiar sensations, such as a feeling of walking on cotton or of wearing tight socks.

Without a working pain alarm system in your feet, you might not notice injuries or shoes that don’t fit well.

Tight shoes may cause problems

Don't wear shoes that squeeze your toes. These may contribute to problems with damp feet, fungal infections, in-growing toenails and skin problems such as corns and calluses. Poor fitting shoes may deform your feet and cause ulcerations.

Protective foot wear

Many foot problems can be avoided by protecting your feet with proper footwear. Your shoes should fit well when you buy them and should not need to be broken in.

Wear shoes appropriate for what you’re doing. Dress shoes and elegant party-shoes should only be used for a few hours at a time. It's a good idea to change footwear at least twice a day.

Daily foot care

After washing your feet, dry them thoroughly. Use a moisturizer to keep the skin of the feet smooth and soft. Do not put creams or oils between the toes, as they may trap moisture and cause infection. Wear well fitting shoes to protect your feet from pressure. This can lead to the development of hard, thickened skin. Sweaty feet can be treated with absorbent foot powder.

Trim your toenails carefully

Trimming your toenails carefully is another part of good foot care. Try to avoid in-growing toenails, which can lead to infection. Cut your nails straight across and not too short. They should be even with the ends of your toes. You can use an emery board to smooth sharp edges. Thick nails and in-growing toenails may need to be seen by your chiropodist.

Foot injuries may occur

In spite of all your best efforts caring for your feet, you may still get injuries such as: scratches, wounds, pressure sores, in-growing toenails, blisters and cracked skin. If this happens, your doctor or chiropodist can advise you on how to deal with the problem.

Prevent complications

There are lots of things you can do to prevent or delay foot problems:

Most importantly, keep your diabetes under good control

Aim for blood sugar of 4-7 mmol/l before meals and no higher than 9 mmol/l two hours after meals

Test your blood sugar often and adjust your insulin according to the results so that you can achieve your targets

Have your HbA1c checked regularly at the clinic – remember you need to aim for values below 7.5%

Adopt a healthy lifestyle – no smoking, a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Visit your diabetes clinic

Visit your diabetes clinic regularly. Make the most of your diabetes care team! Things to check at your clinic include:

Eyes and feet checked regularly
Urine tests to check how your kidneys are working.
Regular blood pressure checks
Regular cholesterol checks.