Your Feet
To protect your feet, you should always wear soft, well-fitted shoes that allow a little extra room since feet expand, or swell, later in the day and when warm. Shoes that are too tight can cause sores within just a few hours. Socks should be seamless.
Diabetes and your feet
People with diabetes have special reason to take good care of their feet. Diabetes may make feet susceptible to injury and infection. This is because the protective sensation in the toes or feet - your "pain alarm system" - 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 prevent most foot problems. To ensure continuous foot care education tailored to your needs it is important to build a good relationship with your chiropodist, doctor, or foot care team.
Advice about foot care
You may be advised about foot care soon after you get diabetes, even if you have no current foot problems. You may think this is unnecessary at first but many 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 lesions and for changes in skin and nails. Check your feet in good light. Use a mirror to see the entire foot. It is important to have your feet examined regularly by your chiropodist, doctor or foot care team.
Signs of infection
Learn to spot the first signs of infection. These are elevated skin temperature, red areas and swelling. Pain and tenderness suggest that your pain alarm system is intact. Foot infections require immediate treatment by your doctor or foot care team.
Reduced sensation
Be aware that your protective sensation may decrease or disappear due to neuropathy. Often there are no symptoms when this happens. Regular examinations by your chiropodist are important. Be alert to signs such as prickly pain in the feet, numbness and peculiar sensations, such as a feeling of walking on cotton or of wearing tight socks. Without a working pain alarm system, injuries and poor fitting shoes may go unnoticed.
Tight fitting shoes may cause
Don't wear shoes that squeeze your toes. These may contribute to problems with damp feet, fungal infections, ingrown nails and skin problems such as corns and calluses. Poor fitting shoes may deform your feet and cause ulcerations.
Protecting your feet
Many foot problems can be avoided by protecting your feet with proper footwear that fits well right away and does not need to be "broken in". Wear appropriate shoes for your activity. Dress or party shoes should only be used for a few hours at a time. It's a good idea to change foot wear at least twice a day.
Daily foot care
Wash your feet as you wash your hands. Bathe or shower but do not soak, your feet. Soaking removes vital oils from the skin and causes cracking. Keep the skin smooth and soft with moisturising cream. Wear well fitting shoes to protect your feet from pressure and the development of hard, thickened skin. Sweaty feet can be treated with absorbent foot powder.
Trim your toenails carefully
Trimming your toenails carefully is part of good foot care. It helps to avoid ingrown nails 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 ingrown nails may require the attention of your chiropodist.
Foot injuries may occur
Scratches, wounds, pressure sores, ingrown nails, blisters and cracked skin may occur, despite all efforts to protect your feet. The best treatment is to identify and correct the causes of foot injury. When this has been done by your doctor or chiropodist, most injuries will heal with proper care.
APP KOL/AC 22/02/07