Diabetes can lead to complications, including diabetic foot problems that significantly impact one’s quality of life. In fact, nearly 10-15% of diabetic patients develop a foot ulcer that doesn’t heal, with up to 24% requiring amputation. However, the good news is that you can reduce your risk of diabetic foot ulcers by up to 50% through regular foot care and routine exams.
Without checkups and exams, injuries can be complex to detect because diabetes can damage nerves in your feet (neuropathy). This lack of sensation makes it hard to feel wounds or sore spots. Furthermore, diabetes can make it harder for minor injuries to heal because diabetes affects blood flow. When minor injuries don’t heal, they can lead to serious health problems.
To safeguard against these risks, taking care of your feet is essential. Here are some crucial guidelines to keep your feet healthy at home.
Why Foot Care is Essential for People with Diabetes
Diabetes can damage the nerves in your feet, a condition called diabetic neuropathy. This condition can cause numbness, tingling, burning, and overall reduced ability to feel pain, temperature, or pressure. It is essential to routinely check your feet because this reduces your ability to feel injuries. You could have cuts, blisters, ulcers, or swelling and not notice if you don’t include a foot check in your daily routine. Diabetes also affects the blood vessels, reducing circulation to your feet and lower legs. Poor circulation can delay wound healing.
If you don’t notice and treat a foot injury early on, it can lead to serious complications, such as non-healing ulcers, deep tissue infections, bone infection, gangrene, and potentially amputation.
How to Take Care of Your Feet at Home
These tips can help you care for your feet.
Daily Foot Checks
- What to look for: Check your feet daily, including between the toes, for signs of swelling, redness, or blisters. These symptoms can signify a health complication. Poor circulation, nerve damage, or fluid retention can cause these symptoms. Also, watch out for cracks, dry skin, or numbness.
- Use a Mirror or a Caregiver: Try to check your feet at the same time every day; this will help you notice patterns and identify recurring problems. To examine the bottoms of your feet, use a mirror or ask a caregiver for help.
- Two-Minute Daily Foot Care Routine: Look at the tops and bottoms of your feet, and in between your toes. Check for redness, blisters, cuts, swelling, and discoloration. Feel your feet for numbness or tingling. Apply lotion to dry areas of the foot, and secure it with socks and shoes.
- Importance of Checking Ankles and Lower Legs: Check your ankles and lower legs for any changes. Monitoring changes is essential because swelling in this area can indicate worsening circulation, heart or kidney issues, or an increased risk of infection. With diabetes, ankles can become swollen, leading to stiff, uncomfortable joints. Let your doctor know if you spot any abnormality on your feet, ankles, or lower legs.
Proper Foot Hygiene
- Washing with Lukewarm Water: Wash your feet daily with lukewarm water and mild soap. Diabetes can cause nerve damage, so make sure you check the water temperature before putting your foot in.
- Avoiding Hot Water and Soaking: If water is too hot, it can burn or irritate skin, increasing the risk of infections, ulcers, and slow-healing wounds. Avoid soaking your feet, as it can lead to excessive dryness and increase the risk of cracking.
- Drying Thoroughly (Especially Between Toes): Afterward, dry feet well, especially between the toes, to prevent fungus and ulcers.
Moisturizing Safely
- When and Where to Apply Lotion: Moisturize your feet regularly to prevent dry skin and cracking. Avoid applying lotion between the toes.
- Why Avoid Lotion Between the Toes: Moisture between the toes can promote fungal growth.
Toenail Care
- Trimming Straight Across: Trim your toenails straight across with good nail clippers. Avoid cutting too close to the skin or into the corners, which may cause ingrown toenails.
- When to Seek a Podiatrist’s Help: If you have difficulty trimming your nails, ask a foot specialist for help.
Protective Footwear Habits
- Why Wear Shoes Indoors and Outdoors: Always wear shoes, even indoors, to protect your feet from injuries and infections. Keep a pair of shoes by your bed so you can slip them on easily whenever you get up.
- Choosing Supportive, Properly Fitting Shoes: Opt for comfortable, well-supported shoes. Why avoid high heels and pointed shoes: High heels and narrow, pointed shoes can cause pressure points, calluses, blisters, or corns.
- Checking for Small Rocks or Sharp Objects Inside Shoes: You will also want to check your shoes for any small stones or sharp objects before putting them on. Inspecting small objects is an essential step because, with nerve damage from diabetes, they can cause cuts or blisters, and you may not feel injuries due to neuropathy.
Sock Selection
- Soft, Seamless, Padded Socks Recommended: Wear socks to keep your feet dry. Wet or moist feet from sweat can promote fungal growth. Untreated fungus can lead to cracks and wounds.
- Cotton or Microfiber for Moisture Absorption: Cotton or microfiber socks are best for absorbing sweat and keeping your feet dry.
- Avoiding Tight Socks or Garters: This can reduce blood flow to your legs and feet, leading to swelling and increasing your risk of infection. Wearing socks to bed instead of heat sources: Don’t use heating pads on your feet. If you have nerve damage (neuropathy), you could burn your feet and not feel it.
Special Footwear: Diabetic Shoes
Diabetic shoes reduce pressure, provide adequate support in sensitive foot areas, and minimize friction by offering extra cushioning. In addition to support and cushioning, diabetic shoes have extra depth to accommodate any inserts. Because of their design, specialized shoes can help prevent foot ulcers from developing, reduce the risk of blisters and calluses, and improve overall foot comfort and mobility. Diabetic shoes play a crucial role in preventative foot care, helping people with diabetes avoid serious complications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Daily Foot Inspection Routines
What should I do if I get a cut on my foot and I have diabetes?
If you have diabetes and get a cut on your foot, do not treat the wound at home beyond basic cleaning. Clean the area gently, running it under clean water and using mild soap around the wound. Pat it dry with a clean towel, then apply pressure with a clean cloth to stop any bleeding.
Diabetic foot wounds can worsen quickly, so call your healthcare provider immediately if the cut is deep and won’t stop bleeding, you notice signs of infection, or you have reduced sensation in your feet.
Are foot massages safe for diabetics?
Foot massages can be safe for people with diabetes and can even improve circulation and relieve neuropathy. Foot massages can also reduce stiffness, tingling, or mild discomfort. But it is critical to be cautious, especially when complications arise. If you are experiencing diabetic neuropathy, you might not feel excessive pressure, which could lead to injury.
People with diabetes should avoid foot massages if they have open sores, ulcers, blisters, infections, or significant swelling. It is essential to consult your provider for guidance in advance. Some safe alternatives to a foot massage include gentle exercise, such as walking or stretching, and ankle rotations to improve circulation.
Proper Footwear
What are the best socks for diabetics?
When choosing socks, it is essential to select options that protect the feet and promote comfort. Look for soft, seamless, and well-padded options. Socks with extra padding or cushion provide additional support that helps absorb stress on vulnerable areas of the foot.
Materials such as cotton or microfiber socks are best because they help absorb sweat and keep your feet dry, reducing the risk of skin irritation. Avoid tight socks and garters, as they can restrict blood flow.
Specially designed diabetic socks prevent irritation and ulcers, are moisture-wicking, enhance circulation, provide cushioning and support, and help regulate foot temperature. Wearing appropriate socks is a simple but effective way to protect foot health and reduce the risk of complications.
Warning Signs of Complications
How can I tell if I have nerve damage in my feet?
Regular monitoring is essential for detecting nerve damage, because pain may not be evident at first. Catching it early can help prevent more serious complications. To tell if you have nerve damage in your feet, pay attention to potential warning signs. Such signs include numbness or reduced sensation, tingling or burning sensations, loss of temperature sensation, sharp or shooting pain, and balance or coordination problems.
If you notice any of these symptoms, schedule an evaluation promptly. Early detection is critical to help prevent injuries, avoid complications, and improve your quality of life.
What are the early warning signs of a diabetic foot ulcer?
Early warning signs of a diabetic foot ulcer include redness, irritation, persistent swelling, calluses, drainage or odor, skin discoloration, and sores that aren’t healing. Visible signs such as sores, redness, swelling, skin discoloration, and calluses are things you can watch for during your daily foot checks.
Other symptoms, such as an unusual odor or drainage, are equally important to monitor because they are strong indicators of infection. Contact your provider if you are expecting any of these warning signs.
Diabetes Management for Healthy Feet
Managing Blood Sugar for Better Foot Health
The best way to take care of diabetic feet is first to manage your diabetes. You can take simple measures at home to reduce your symptoms of diabetes.
One essential step is to monitor your blood glucose levels frequently. Frequent monitoring is vital to understanding how your body responds to different foods, medications, physical activity, and other factors. It enables you to make necessary adjustments to keep your blood sugar within the target range.
You may also want to monitor your blood pressure. Even if you take measures to treat diabetes and diabetic feet naturally, you should still take prescribed medications as directed. Never reduce your prescribed dosage unless your doctor says it is ok.
Frequent Glucose Monitoring
Adopting a balanced, healthy diet is crucial for managing blood sugar levels. Focus on consuming whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Limit intake of salt, processed foods, sugary beverages, and high-carb meals, which can cause blood sugar spikes.
Furthermore, carbohydrates significantly affect blood sugar levels. Learn to manage carbohydrate intake by counting carbs or following a carbohydrate-controlled meal plan. Monitoring your carbohydrate intake helps maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Importance of Diet, Exercise, and Medication Adherence
People with diabetes are already cautious about their diet to manage blood sugar levels and prevent dangerous spikes. Eating a heart-healthy, blood-sugar-friendly diet helps improve circulation and reduces the risk of foot ulcers and complications.
Exercise is equally important. Improving circulation and blood flow through exercise can boost insulin sensitivity, help muscles absorb glucose, and lower blood sugar.
Taking prescriptions as prescribed improves blood sugar control and reduces risks of serious complications like nerve pain, ulcers, or amputation.
How Blood Sugar Control Prevents Nerve and Vascular Damage
Check and control your blood sugar and cholesterol to reduce the risk of nerve damage and poor blood flow. Take all your medicines as prescribed, and call your provider if you have trouble controlling your blood sugar.
Exercise for Healthy Feet
Activities that Improve Circulation
Regular exercise helps blood flow in your feet. It also helps strengthen and flex your feet. Gentle activities such as walking or riding a stationary bike are best. You can also do special foot exercises.
Talk with your provider before starting any exercise program. Also, tell your provider if exercise causes pain, redness, or other foot problems.
Foot-strengthening exercises
Keeping your feet well-circulated can help prevent diabetic foot complications. Such foot-strengthening exercises include: toe raises, toe curls, ankle curls, and heel raises.
Toe raises involve sitting or standing with your feet on the floor, lifting your toes while keeping the base of your foot on the ground. You can do toe curls while sitting in a chair with a towel on the floor in front of you. Use your toes to pull the towel towards you.
Ankle curls involve slowly rotating your ankle in circular motions, one foot at a time, clockwise and counterclockwise. By rotating your ankle in circular motions, one foot at a time, clockwise and counterclockwise.
When to avoid exercise
If you have open wounds, cuts, or ulcers; swelling or redness; severe pain or numbness; or circulation problems, you should avoid exercising. Contact your doctor if you are experiencing any of those symptoms.
Never Ignore Foot Injuries
Even if it’s minor, a foot injury on diabetic feet can become something more serious. If you notice any injuries, cracks, blisters, swelling, or ulcers on your lower body, seek immediate medical attention from your doctor.
Promptly caring for injuries is another highly effective way to prevent ulcers, gangrene, and amputation.
Why You Should Have Regular Podiatry Checkups
Foot problems and skin problems can happen fast. That’s why you should follow your healthcare team’s schedule for checkups. They will likely ask you to schedule an annual visit at a minimum. You may need to have checkups more often if you have neuropathy.
Regular checkups can also help monitor blood flow and sensation in your feet. In some cases, you may have a decrease in blood flow to your feet. Lack of blood flow can indicate peripheral artery disease (PAD) and atherosclerosis.
As a result, your provider may refer you to a vascular or vein specialist to manage symptoms and prevent your condition from worsening. Have your feet checked every time you see your healthcare provider, and at least once a year.
See a Podiatrist for Diabetic Feet at The Surgical Clinic in Tennessee
Podiatrists at The Surgical Clinic provide exceptional diabetic foot and ankle care. Our dedicated team of skilled podiatrists combines expertise, advanced techniques, and personalized treatment plans to deliver the best possible outcomes for patients with diabetes.
No matter the podiatric condition, our doctors have the experience and knowledge to offer a comprehensive range of services. From routine checkups to advanced surgical interventions, we provide the help and support you need.