Diabetes and Proper Foot Care!

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in the world, affecting at least 220 million worldwide. It is broken down into two different types; type one requiring daily injections of insulin, and type two from ineffective use of insulin by the body. Over 90% of diabetics are in the type two category and obesity and inactivity are major contributing causes!

Insulin is needed by the body to break down sugar and store it as energy in the body. Whether your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or your cells don’t respond to the insulin your body produces, it causes the sugar in your blood to rise. This is why diabetics need to check their blood sugar frequently!

Diabetes can have a devastating effect on certain areas of the body, including blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, nerves, and feet! This is what makes proper foot care so important for our diabetic population. Insurance companies are realizing the dangers of diabetes and are covering more frequent doctor’s visits to ensure that problems are identified as soon as possible. In between these visits I recommend you do the following.

First and foremost, keep your blood sugar as close as you can to normal values and exercise and diet as long as you are cleared by your primary care physician! This will keep your blood vessels and nerves in the best working order. Your PCP can help you determine your best blood sugar level.

For foot care, make sure to wash your feet daily with warm water and soap. Dry them thoroughly, especially between your toes. It is important to apply a mild moisturizing lotion or cream on your dry skin, especially your heels, daily. Never go barefoot, and look into having special diabetic shoes custom made for your feet. Medicare provides this as a benefit for diabetics. Make sure to check your feet daily for any cracks, open lesions, redness or swelling. Also, if you have pain that doesn’t go away or numbness you should be concerned. If any of these develop, make an appointment with your podiatrist! Make sure that you do not treat any calluses, corns, or perform nail care by yourself without consulting with your podiatrist first. It is probably better to have these tasks performed by your podiatrist! Make sure to check inside your shoes, as many diabetics have neuropathy (little or no feeling in their feet), and even a small rock inside a shoe can create an open lesion that can progress to an ulcer, or worst case scenario an amputation! Regular visits to your podiatrist, as well as doing your part in between visits, are the best way to maintain good foot health.


The purpose of this blog is to raise awareness about common conditions associated with the foot and ankle. Any advice given, whether medical or legal, is an opinion. For legal counsel or podiatric care, one should see their local podiatrist or attorney. More information can be found at my website www.michiganfootdoctor.com