Diabetes Awareness: Top Diabetic Foot Care Tips

Diabetes doesn’t ever take a break in how it affects people or whom it affects. For those living with the disease, it is a 365 days a year battle. November is American Diabetes Month and we want to help highlight it by reminding you of some of the most important diabetic foot care tips. If you have diabetes or know a loved one living with it, print this list and keep it handy!

You can prevent and delay many foot conditions and problems by taking great care of your feet. These tips are simple and may seem underrated to the average person, but for those with diabetes, they could literally save a limb.

First, wash and dry your feet every day. If you are active or involved in certain activities, this may need to be done more than once. Doing this not only keeps your feet clean and helps prevent fungal infections; it also gives you a chance to inspect your feet. Look for dry spots, cracks, cuts, blisters, corns, calluses, ingrown toenails and any changes to the skin.

Second, take care of your toenails properly. They should be trimmed straight across with an appropriate nail clipper. Do not cut the corners off or rip nail edges off, both of which can lead to ingrown toenails.

Third, always wear shoes and socks. It feels great to be footloose and fancy free in bare feet, but with diabetes it is a recipe for disaster. Even a small cut or scrape can turn into a wound or ulcer. If not treated promptly, a diabetic ulcer can possibly result in an amputation. In order to prevent this, diabetics should visit a podiatrist at least 3 times a year for a check up.

Fourth, poor circulation and neuropathy often accompany diabetes, so do what you can to keep these problems under control. Stay active, do not smoke, and be diligent in keeping your blood sugar levels in the normal range.

The last and most important tip is to stay alert, stay aware and seek treatment at the first sight of pain or anything unusual. Quick treatment often means quicker healing and less chance of something serious developing.

We are here for you – contact Houston Foot Specialists with any questions or for diabetic foot care. Make an appointment with Dr. Jeff Bowman by calling our office in Houston, TX at (713) 467-8886.