FOOT CARE TIPS FOR DIABETICS

5 TIPS FOR EVERYDAY FOOT CARE

Diabetics need regular foot care

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Most of my daily visits contain meeting someone who is a diabetic. I cannot stress enough how important it is to take regular care of your feet on a daily basis and it doesn't matter if you are type 1 or type 2 Diabetic. checking your feet on a daily basis is good habit to adopt.

I have put together a few tips to adopt for your daily foot care practice

Check your feet daily

Check your feet daily as you can catch problems early and get them treated right away. A diabetic foot exam can help find problems that can lead to serious infection and amputation.

Manage your blood sugar levels daily

One of the most important things to do is monitoring your blood sugar. Keeping this in your target range as much as possible. This can help prevent nerve damage or stop it from getting worse.

One of the ways of doing this is to eat a balanced diabetic diet. This may include cutting down on carbs., sugary drinks, refined sugars. You can find more info here https://www.diabetes.org.uk/.../i-have-type-2-diabetes

Make sure your footwear fits correctly

Badly fitting shoes, either too tight or too lose can cause problems such as ingrowing nails which can occur from shoes being tight and pushing the toes together. Corns can be formed by friction of two toes rubbing together in a tight space in your shoe and Hammer toes can be formed if the shoes are not long enough and toes are forced to bend in your shoes . Your footwear should be long and wide but not loose. More info can be found here Diabetic Shoes and Footwear for People with Diabetes

Don't use corn plasters

One thing i do not recommend is the use of treated corn plasters to treat corns on a diabetic foot. The reason for this being that the corn plasters that are readily available to buy contain acid. These harsh chemicals prevent the build up of hard skin, softening the skin and burning away at the corn. Using these to treat corns may cause damage to the surrounding skin and do more harm then good. Untreated corns can cause infection, changes to bodily alignment and posture. Always seek a professional in removing the corn.

Watch out for cutting your nails

I cannot stress how important it is to cut your nails correctly if you a diabetic. leaving sharp edges can cause injury and furthermore lead to infection. You are at risk of cutting your skin too which can lead to complications

Incorrect cut nails can cause ingrowing nails and injuries that can be dangerous for a diabetic. Diabetes can affect blood flow, and sensation in the feet so it maybe hard to feel damage. It is advisable to have your nails cut regularly by a professional, especially if you have thick nails, or loss of sensation in your feet.

Regular foot care

I often recommend having your feet professionally checked , nails trimmed every 6 - 8 weeks on a regular basis to keep your feet in best condition . Regular treatments can help keep your and your feet pain free and spot potential problems early.

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