Foot problems are common in people with diabetes. Maybe you're afraid of losing a toe, a foot or a leg, or maybe you know someone who has been through that. However, you can reduce the likelihood of having problems with your feet with good daily foot care. Controlling blood glucose levels (blood sugar) can also help keep your feet healthy.
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How can diabetes affect the feet?
Over time, diabetes can cause nerve damage, which is also known as diabetic neuropathy , which can cause pain and a tingling sensation, and can make you lose sensation in your feet. When you lose feeling in your feet, you may not feel a pebble in your sock or a blister on your foot, which can cause cuts and sores. Cuts and sores can become infected.
Diabetes can also decrease the amount of blood flow in the feet. If you do not have enough blood flow in your legs or feet, it is harder for a sore or infection to heal. Sometimes, a severe infection of the nerves is never cured. The infection can cause gangrene.
If gangrene and foot ulcers do not improve with treatment, you can amputate the toe, foot, or part of the leg. A surgeon can do an amputation to prevent a serious infection from passing to the rest of the body, which could save your life. Good foot care is very important to prevent serious infections and gangrene.
Although it does not happen often, nerve damage from diabetes can cause deformation of the feet, such as Charcot's foot. Charcot foot can start with redness, warmth and swelling. Then, the bones and toes begin to move or break, which causes the foot to take on a strange shape, like the "clubfoot".
Illustration of the foot of Charcot that presents a widening of the sole in a rounded shape. Charcot's foot can make the foot take a strange shape, like the "clubfoot".
What can I do to keep my feet healthy?
Work with your health care team to create a personal diabetes care plan, which consists of an action plan on how to manage diabetes. The plan must include foot care. A podiatrist (foot specialist) and other specialists can be part of your health care team.
Include these steps in your foot care plan:
Suggestions for foot care
- Check your feet every day.
- Wash your feet every day.
- Gently rinse calluses and calluses.
- Cut your toenails in a straight line.
- Always wear shoes and socks.
- Protect your feet from heat and cold.
- Help maintain blood flow in the feet.
- Ask to have your feet checked at each medical visit.
Check your feet every day
Maybe you have foot problems and do not feel pain. Checking your feet every day will help you find problems at an early stage before the problems get worse. A good way to remember it is by checking your feet every night when you take off your shoes. Also check the area between the toes. If you find it difficult to bend to see your feet, try using a mirror or ask someone to check them.
Watch for problems such as:
- cuts, sores or red spots
- swelling or blisters with fluid
- Ingrown nails, when the edges of the nails grow buried in the skin
- corns and calluses, which are circular lesions of hardened skin caused by too much friction or pressure in the same place
- plantar warts, which are flesh-colored growths on the soles of the feet
- athlete's foot
- hot areas on the feet
A person is examined the sole of the foot.
If you have certain foot problems that increase your chance of developing sores on your feet, your doctor may recommend that you take skin temperature on different parts of your feet. A "hot area" may be the first sign that a blister or ulcer is beginning to develop.
Cover blisters, cuts or sores with a bandage. Limit calluses and calluses as explained below.
Wash your feet every day
Wash your feet with warm water (not hot) and soap. Feel the temperature of the water to make sure it is not too hot. You can use the elbow or a thermometer (between 90 ° and 95 ° F or between 32 ° and 35 ° C is a safe temperature) to feel the temperature of the water. Do not soak your feet because your skin will dry out.
The foot and hands of a person who examines the toes.
After washing and drying your feet, put talc or corn starch between your toes. The skin between the toes tends to retain moisture. The powder will keep the skin dry, which will help prevent an infection.
Gently rinse corns and calluses
Thick layers of skin known as calluses or calluses may appear on the feet. If you have them, talk with your podiatrist about the best way to take care of these foot problems. If you have nerve damage, these layers can become ulcers.
A woman smoothes the sole of her foot with a pumice stone.
If the doctor tells you to, use a pumice stone to file calluses and calluses after a bath or shower. Pumice is a type of rock that is used to file the skin. Rub it gently, in one direction, to avoid breaking the skin.
It is important that NO:
- cut corns and calluses
- use patches for corns, which are medicated pads
- use liquid callus remover
Products without a prescription or to cut or eliminate calluses can damage the skin and cause infections.
To keep the skin soft, apply a thin layer of lotion, cream or Vaseline on the top and bottom of the feet. Do not apply lotion or cream between your toes because moisture could cause an infection.
Cut your toenails in a straight line
Cut your toenails, when necessary, after washing and drying your feet. Cut your toenails in a straight line with a nail clipper. Do not cut the corners of the toenails. Gently wipe each nail with a cardboard file or a nail file that is not too sharp. Cutting the nails in this way helps prevent cuts on the skin and ingrown toenails.
A person cuts his toenails.
Ask the podiatrist to cut your toenails if:
- you can not see, feel or reach your feet
- Has thick or yellowish toenails
- has curved nails or is incarnated
If you want to get a pedicure in a salon, you must bring your own nail utensils to avoid getting an infection. You can ask your health care team about other steps you can take in the room to prevent an infection.
Always wear shoes and socks
Always wear shoes and socks. Do not walk barefoot or in socks only, even in closed spaces. He could step on something and hurt his feet. Maybe he does not feel pain and does not realize that he got hurt.
Before putting on shoes, check inside to make sure that the lining is smooth and free of pebbles and other objects.
A man touches the inside of the shoe.
Be sure to wear socks, socks or nylon socks with your shoes so you do not get blisters or sores. Wear clean, lightly padded socks that fit well. Seamless socks are the best option.
Wear shoes that fit well and protect your feet. Here are some suggestions to find the right footwear:
- Walking or sports shoes are a good option for everyday use. They offer good support for the feet and allow them to "breathe".
- Do not wear vinyl or plastic shoes, because they do not stretch or allow your feet to "breathe".
- When buying shoes, make sure you are comfortable with your shoes on and that they have enough space for your toes. Buy the shoes at the end of the day, when the feet are more swollen, so you can find the one that suits you best.
- If you have bunions, or hammertoes, that cause your toes to bend under your feet, you may need wider or deeper shoes. 1 Do not wear shoes with sharp or narrow toe or high heels, because these put a lot of pressure on the toes.
- If you have foot deformities, such as Charcot's foot, you may need special shoes or insoles, which is known as orthopedics. You may also need templates if you have bunions, hammertoes or other foot problems.
To soften or mold new shoes, wear them only for a few hours at first, and then check your feet to see if there are areas of pain.
Medicare Part B insurance and other health insurance programs can help you pay for these shoes or special templates. Ask your insurance plan if it covers shoes or special templates.
Protect your feet from heat and cold
If you have nerve damage from diabetes, you could burn your feet without knowing it. Take the following steps to protect your feet from heat:
- Wear shoes on the beach or hot pavement.
- Use sunscreen on the top of your feet to avoid sunburn.
- Keep feet away from heaters and fires.
- Do not put hot water bottles or heating pads on your feet.
A person with sports shoes walks in the sand.
- Wear socks to sleep if your feet get cold. In the winter, wear waterproof boots with lining on the inside to keep the feet warm and dry.
- Help maintain blood flow in the feet
Follow the following suggestions to improve blood flow in the feet:
- Put your feet up when you are sitting.
- Move the toes for a few minutes during the day. Move the heels: lift them, lower them, bend them towards you and move them to help the blood flow in the feet and legs.
- Do not wear tight socks or elastic stockings. Do not try to hold loose socks with elastic bands.
- Get more physical activity Choose activities that do not put much effort on your feet, such as walking, dancing, yoga or stretching, swimming or riding a bicycle.
- Stop smoking.
A seated man reads a book and rests his feet on a small chair for the feet.
Smoking can reduce the amount of blood flow in the feet. If you smoke, seek help to stop smoking. You can get help by calling the national quitline at 1-855-335-3569 or 1-855-DEJELO-YA. For suggestions on how to quit smoking, visit Spanish smokefree .
Ask to have your feet checked at each medical visit
Ask your health care team to have your feet checked at each visit. Take off your shoes and socks when you are in the exam room so they remember to check your feet. At least once a year, have a complete foot exam, including checking the sensitivity and pulse of the feet.
A doctor examines a person's feet.
Ask to have your feet examined at each doctor's visit if:
- see changes in the shape of the foot
- have loss of sensation in the feet
- have peripheral arterial disease
- has had ulcers on the foot or some amputation in the past 1
Ask your health care team to show you how to take care of your feet.
When should I see the doctor about foot problems?
Call your doctor immediately if you have:
- a cut, blister or bruise on the foot that does not start to heal after a few days
- redness, sensation of heat or pain in the skin of the feet, signs of a possible infection
- a callus with dried blood inside, which can often be the first sign of an injury under the callus
- an infection of the foot that turns black and smells bad, signs that you might have gangrene
Ask your doctor to refer you to a podiatrist or podiatrist, if necessary.