If you live with diabetes, you know that even the slightest break in the skin of your foot can lead to a dangerous infection and worse — quickly.
That’s why it’s a critical part of your self-care to examine your feet daily for injuries and other easy-to-miss problems, especially if you’re affected by neuropathy, which causes pain and numbness in your legs and feet.
Here, we take you step by step through your foot self-exam to help you recognize problems and identify issues that need immediate attention.
The compassionate provider team at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers has vast experience with treating diabetic foot issues and is committed to educating you about the preventive power of daily foot exams. The sooner you can identify a potential threat, the better.
We’re here for all of your foot care needs, and we consider ourselves your partners in care.
The potential trajectory can be scary if you live with diabetes and you experience even a minor foot injury, like the ones we noted above. A complex condition, diabetes can harm you in many ways, from affecting your eyesight and skin to your nerve and kidney health.
Many people who have diabetes deal with circulation problems and neuropathy, which deliver a one-two punch. It starts with a loss of sensation that accompanies neuropathy, combined with the reduced blood flow to your feet from decreased circulation.
Because you’re unable to feel a foot injury, you're at a higher risk of such an unattended wound getting infected.
A slow-healing wound turns into something more serious, a diabetic ulcer. Diabetic ulcer complications can easily become serious, with prolonged loss of blood flow causing tissue death and gangrene, which in turn leads to amputation.
Approximately 15-25% of people living with diabetes will have a cut develop into a diabetic foot ulcer.
When you’re under care from your South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers podiatrist, they perform a diabetic foot exam to ensure you’re not at risk for these serious problems.
When you visit us, your podiatrist provides education on the importance of your foot health, answers your questions, and has a conversation with you about your footwear. It’s critical that all of your shoes fit correctly so you don’t put yourself at risk for blisters, ingrown toenails, and other problems.
We also test you for neuropathy symptoms and create a preventive treatment plan that takes your current foot health into account. This might include getting custom orthotics made, providing advanced treatment for foot ulcers, or performing nerve decompression surgery.
We also counsel you on how you should care for your feet daily at home: It’s vital that you do this.
In addition to doing things that improve your circulation like wiggling your toes periodically and not staying in the same position for too long, keeping your feet clean and well moisturized, and managing your diabetes well overall, you need to visually examine your feet every day.
When you do your daily foot check, be sure to:
In completing your daily foot check, you may have questions about what exactly you’re looking for.
When you examine your feet, you don’t want to see any signs of stress on your skin from shoes or socks rubbing against your feet; visible cuts, punctures, or breaks in the skin; or evidence of pressure caused by shoes that don’t fit well.
Also tell your doctor if you notice any corns, ingrown toenails, calluses, or blisters, which can lead to problems. Ditto if you see any swollen spots or changes in skin color. Even be mindful of the hair on your toes; sometimes losing it can signal problems.
Sometimes you might notice things that aren’t just about what you can see. Tell your doctor if you feel burning or tingling, or if you notice any numbness. When you do your part and we do ours, we can keep your feet their healthiest, even if you live with diabetes.
Contact one of our four conveniently located offices to schedule an appointment to learn more about diabetic foot care, or use our online booking tool. We have offices in Royal Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach Gardens, and Belle Glade, Florida.
