Attention Diabetics: Take Care of Your Feet

 With damage to your nervous system caused by diabetes, you might not be able to feel your feet properly.  Normal sweat secretion and oil production that lubricates the skin of the foot is often impaired and, as a result, this can lead to an abnormal pressure on the skin, bones, and joints of the foot during walking and other activities. 

This can even lead to the breakdown of the skin on the foot, causing sores to develop. If you have diabetes, it is important to take proper precautions to prevent foot problems before they occur, recognize problems early and seek the right treatment from your podiatrist when a problem does happen.

Complications with Your Feet and Diabetes

There are several risk factors that can increase your chances of developing foot problems and diabetic infections in the legs and feet with poorly fitting shoes as one of the biggest culprits of diabetic foot complications. 

If you suffer from any of the following symptoms, it is important to find new proper fitting shoes immediately:

·      Red spots

·      Sore spots

·      Blisters

·      Corns

·      Calluses

·      Consistent pain when wearing shoes

And if you have common foot abnormalities such as flat feet, bunions, or hammertoes, prescription shoes or orthotics from your podiatrist might be necessary to further protect your feet from other damage.

Poor Circulation and Nerve Damage

People who have long-standing or poorly controlled diabetes are also at risk for having damage to the nerves in their feet, which is known in the medical community as peripheral neuropathy.  If you have nerve damage, you may not be able to feel your feet normally and you may also be unable to sense the position of your feet and toes while walking and balancing, which can cause even more harm to your feet. 

Normal nerves allow people to sense if their shoes are too tight or if their shoes are rubbing on the feet too much.  With diabetes, you may not be able to properly sense minor injuries, such as cuts, scrapes and blisters—all signs of abnormal wear, tear, and foot strain. The following can also compromise the health of your feet:

·      Poor circulation

·      Trauma to the foot

·      Infections

·      Smoking

Diabetes can be extremely dangerous to your feet, so take precautions now.  You can avoid serious problems such as losing a toe, foot, or leg by following proper prevention techniques offered by your podiatrist. And remember, prevention is the key to saving your feet and eliminating pain.

Diabetic Foot Care

Diabetes is a condition in which excessively high glucose levels in the blood can jeopardize the health of the liver, eyes, kidneys and blood vessels. It can be dangerous to your feet also, to the point where even a small cut can produce serious consequences. Diabetes may cause nerve damage that takes away the feeling in your feet. It may also reduce blood flow to the feet, making it harder to heal an injury or resist infection. Visiting Dr. Mark Forman on a regular basis can help prevent the foot complications of diabetes. In the meantime, to avoid serious foot complications follow these guidelines.

• Wash and dry your feet daily – use mild soaps, warm water and pat your skin dry (do not rub). You can also apply lotion to your feet to prevent cracking; however, do not put the lotion between your toes.


• Examine your feet each day – check the tops and bottoms of your feet, and check for dry skin, as well as blisters, cuts, scratches, or other sores.


• Take care of your toenails – cut toenails after bathing, when they are soft and avoid cutting into the corners of toes.

If you have questions about the type of diabetic foot care Dr. Mark Forman provides, give us a call, or visit www.azfootpain.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Mark Forman in Scottsdale, AZ, call 480-423-8400.