Foot Care and Diabetes
Diabetes is likely to damage your feet.
Don’t wait for problems to happen:
prevent them by following simple regular footcare practices.
Diabetes has the potential to cause two problems that affect the health of your feet:
1. Loss of feeling (Peripheral Neuropathy) – this can happen if diabetes has
damaged the nerves to your feet. Damaged nerves prevent pain and temperature
sensations reaching your brain, therefore you may not be able to feel an injury to
your foot when it occurs.
2. Poor blood flow (Peripheral Vascular Disease) – A reduction in blood flow to the
feet will increase the risk of ulceration and amputation. Diabetes affects the
elasticity of the blood vessels and can cause narrowing and blockage. This
reduces the amount of blood that is supplied to the feet, meaning that there will
be a delay in healing.
Prevention is Better Than Cure
DO NOT SMOKE
Smoking will damage your feet by reducing the blood supply.
CHECK - EVERYDAY
 Your feet for any redness, swelling, blisters or cuts. If you have difficulty
reaching your feet, use a mirror or have someone look at them for you.
 Before and after you wear your shoes, check them for objects that may have
fallen into them. Objects such as small stones, gumnuts, twigs etc. Also, feel
inside them for any material damage such as nails poking through the sole,
rough or loose areas of material, which may injure your feet.
 In between your toes to make sure they are not wet.
WEAR
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Comfortable, well fitting enclosed shoes. They should fit well in the shop
before you buy. Don’t depend on shoes stretching - they may not.
Good supportive footwear, which has a firm heel counter, flexible in the
forefoot, and firm throughout the mid-foot. The shoe should also have a
fastening device such as a buckle, velcro or laces.
With any new pair of shoes, wear the first time for no longer than 15 minutes.
When you take them off after this time, check your feet for areas of redness
or abrasion. If present return the shoe for a refund. If no redness or abrasion
noticed, wear the shoes next time for up to 30 minutes, and check again. i.e.
wear your new shoes in slowly.
Clean socks or stockings every day. Socks without tight elastic or seams are
best. Try socks made specifically for people with Diabetes.
Bed socks or ugg boots if cold feet trouble you.
SELF FOOT CARE
DO’s:
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Wash and dry your feet thoroughly, especially between your toes, every day.
Use a water-based cream such as sorbolene on your feet every day, but be
sure not to apply cream between your toes.
Cut toe nails straight across and gently file rough edges. Never cut nails
shorter than the end of your toe and don’t cut down the sides of the nail as
this may leave jagged edges.
If you use a bath or foot spa check the water temperature with a bath
thermometer. This will reduce your risk of causing a burn to your feet.
DON’T’S:
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Don’t Soak your feet for long periods
Don’t use talcum powder on your feet
Don’t use any product that hasn’t been recommended by your podiatrist on
corns, calluses or warts.
Don’t go bare-footed. The feet are at a greater risk of injury without shoes.
Injury can lead to ulcers, infection, gangrene and possible amputation.
Don’t wear shoes without socks.
Don’t wear thongs or flip-flops or sandals.
WARNINGS
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If you use hot water bottles, electric blankets or heaters, you may burn
yourself and NOT FEEL it happening.
In winter do not put your feet near a fire or radiator. It is possible to burn your
feet and NOT FEEL it happening.
If you find a break in the skin (cut, scratch, broken blister etc), you must clean
it and keep it covered with a sterile dressing and see your doctor or a
podiatrist as soon as possible.
FIRST AID
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If you have a burn, cut, scratch, graze, broken blister, or any other area of
broken skin, clean it and put a dry dressing on it to reduce the risk of getting it
infected.
If it doesn’t seem to be getting better, or is deteriorating, see your Podiatrist
or Doctor as soon as possible.
Walk
This simple form of exercise helps to maintain
Your general health, and the health of your feet.
S:\DIABETES\Brochures\Educators brochures\Footcare\Footcare Jan 08.doc