Because of the numbness and reduced sensation to the feet, this can lead to unnoticed cuts or sores which, if untreated, can quickly lead to an infection or wound that can be difficult to heal. Luckily, there are some steps people with diabetes can take to help reduce the risk.

Managing diabetes: good practices for diet, exercise, and care. Download a transcript PDF. For people with diabetes, a good foot care routine can make a positive impact on your health and help prevent complications and infections.

Here are some best practices, developed in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic Canada, when it comes to diabetic foot care:. People with foot complications related to diabetes, particularly individuals with diabetes-related neuropathy,should take some precautions before beginning an exercise routine.

Wearing proper shoes and socks is a crucial factor in helping protect your feet and preventing injuries if you have diabetes. Compression socks or stockings could be recommended by your physician if you have varicose veins or leg swelling but might not be prescribed or recommended if you have poor blood circulation to your feet.

The shoes you wear also play an important role in helping to prevent complications and maintaining foot health. A yearly, comprehensive diabetic foot examination usually includes: 5. A yearly diabetic foot examination could help you and your doctor notice and address complications before they become more serious.

There are several common foot problems that people with diabetes should be aware of. Here are some common foot problems for people with diabetes: 6.

Blisters can form when your shoe continually rubs on the same spot of your foot. The fluid-filled pockets develop in the top layer of the skin and can become infected. Calluses happen when an area of skin builds up and hardens into a lump, which can lead to open sores over time. Fungal infections of the nail are more than just a cosmetic issue.

Fungus can infect the nail causing them to become yellow, thick, brittle, and can damage the skin. Dry skin can become an issue because it can crack and increase the chance of infection.

Speak to your doctor to find a proper moisturizer for your feet. Bunions and hammer toes: Bunions are the result of changes to the joint of the big toe, creating a bump on the side of foot where the big toe meets the foot, which can be prone to blisters or ulcers.

Ulcers are deep sores or breaks in the skin caused by scrapes, cuts, or repeated rubbing, which can become infected. Manulife offers coverage options for Group Benefits Plans that could help people with diabetes manage foot care:.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and not intended to replace the advice of a medical doctor. Please contact your health care provider or physician for advice. Good diabetes management — including having blood sugar in target range and addressing blood pressure — is also important in reducing overall risk for foot complications.

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Get periodic foot exams. Seeing your foot and ankle surgeon on a regular basis can help prevent the foot complications of diabetes. Foot and ankle surgeons are the leading experts in foot and ankle care today. Foot and ankle surgeons have more education and training specific to the foot and ankle than any other healthcare provider.

Foot and ankle surgeons treat all conditions affecting the foot and ankle, from the simple to the complex, in patients of all ages including diabetes.

Their intensive education and training qualify foot and ankle surgeons to perform a wide range of surgeries, including any surgery that may be indicated for diabetic foot care.

For more tips on taking care of your feet if you suffer from diabetes, watch the animated video Foot Care for Those Living with Diabetes. Visit ACFAS. org About ACFAS View this page in: English English Spanish.

A A A Print Share. Wear clean, dry socks. Change them daily. Take care of your diabetes. Keep your blood sugar levels under control. Do not smoke. Smoking restricts blood flow in your feet. Why choose a foot and ankle surgeon?

Printed from FootHealthFacts. org, the patient education website of the. Luckily, there are some steps people with diabetes can take to help reduce the risk. Managing diabetes: good practices for diet, exercise, and care.

Download a transcript PDF. For people with diabetes, a good foot care routine can make a positive impact on your health and help prevent complications and infections.

Here are some best practices, developed in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic Canada, when it comes to diabetic foot care:.

People with foot complications related to diabetes, particularly individuals with diabetes-related neuropathy,should take some precautions before beginning an exercise routine. Wearing proper shoes and socks is a crucial factor in helping protect your feet and preventing injuries if you have diabetes.

Compression socks or stockings could be recommended by your physician if you have varicose veins or leg swelling but might not be prescribed or recommended if you have poor blood circulation to your feet. The shoes you wear also play an important role in helping to prevent complications and maintaining foot health.

A yearly, comprehensive diabetic foot examination usually includes: 5. A yearly diabetic foot examination could help you and your doctor notice and address complications before they become more serious. There are several common foot problems that people with diabetes should be aware of.

Here are some common foot problems for people with diabetes: 6. Blisters can form when your shoe continually rubs on the same spot of your foot. The fluid-filled pockets develop in the top layer of the skin and can become infected.

Calluses happen when an area of skin builds up and hardens into a lump, which can lead to open sores over time.

Fungal infections of the nail are more than just a cosmetic issue. Fungus can infect the nail causing them to become yellow, thick, brittle, and can damage the skin. Check the entire surface of both feet for skin breaks, blisters, swelling, or redness, including between and underneath the toes where damage may not be easily visible.

Do not pop blisters or otherwise break the skin on your feet. Let your health care provider know right away if you notice any changes or problems. See 'Self-exams' above. Choose socks and shoes carefully — Wear cotton socks that fit well, and be sure to change your socks every day. Select shoes that are snug but not tight, with a wide toe box figure 2 , and break new shoes in gradually to prevent any blisters.

It may be helpful to rotate several different pairs of comfortable, well-fitting shoes to avoid consistent pressure on one part of your foot.

If you have foot deformities or ulcers, ask your foot care provider about customized shoes; this can reduce your chances of developing foot ulcers in the future. Shoe inserts may also help cushion your step and decrease pressure on the soles of your feet. Be sure to get regular foot exams — Checking for foot-related complications should be a routine part of most medical visits; however, this is sometimes overlooked.

Don't hesitate to ask your provider for a foot check at least once a year, or more frequently if you have risk factors or notice any changes. See 'Clinical exams' above and 'Risk factors' above. Quit smoking — Smoking can worsen heart and circulation problems and reduce circulation to the feet.

If you smoke, quitting is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health and reduce your risk of complications.

While this can be difficult, your health care provider can help you and provide other resources for support. See "Patient education: Quitting smoking Beyond the Basics ".

Importance of blood sugar management — In general, you can reduce your risk of all diabetes-related complications, including foot problems, by keeping your blood sugar levels as close to your target as possible. Careful management of blood sugar levels can reduce the risk of circulation problems and nerve damage that often lead to foot complications.

Managing your blood sugar requires seeing your doctor regularly, making healthy diet and lifestyle changes, and taking your medications as directed. More information about managing your diabetes is available separately.

See "Patient education: Type 1 diabetes: Insulin treatment Beyond the Basics " and "Patient education: Type 2 diabetes: Treatment Beyond the Basics " and "Patient education: Glucose monitoring in diabetes Beyond the Basics " and "Patient education: Preventing complications from diabetes Beyond the Basics ".

TREATMENT OF FOOT ULCERS. Superficial ulcers — Superficial ulcers involve only the top layers of skin picture 1. Treatment usually includes cleaning the ulcer and removing dead skin and tissue by a health care provider; this is called "debridement. After debridement, the area will be covered with a dressing to keep it clean and moist.

If the foot is infected, you will get antibiotics. You should clean the ulcer and apply a clean dressing twice daily or as instructed by your foot care provider; you may need to have someone help you with this.

Keep weight off the affected foot as much as possible and elevate it when you are sitting or lying down. Depending on the location of the ulcer, you might also get a cast or other device to take pressure off the area when you walk.

Your health care provider should check your ulcer at least once per week to make sure that it is healing properly. More extensive ulcers — Ulcers that extend into the deeper layers of the foot, involving muscle and bone picture 4 , usually require treatment in the hospital.

Laboratory tests and X-rays may be done, and intravenous IV antibiotics are often given. In addition to debridement to remove dead skin and tissue, surgery may be necessary to remove infected bone.

You may also get something called "negative pressure wound therapy"; this involves covering the ulcer with a bandage and using a special vacuum device to help increase blood flow and speed healing.

If part of the toes or foot become severely damaged, causing areas of dead tissue gangrene , partial or complete amputation may be required. Amputation is reserved for wounds that do not heal despite aggressive treatment, or times when health is threatened by the gangrene.

Untreated gangrene can be life threatening. Some people with severe foot ulcers and peripheral vascular disease poor circulation may require a procedure to restore blood flow to the foot. See "Patient education: Peripheral artery disease and claudication Beyond the Basics ".

While foot problems in diabetes are common and can be serious, keep in mind that there are things you can do to help prevent them. Quitting smoking, if you smoke, is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health and to prevent foot problems. In addition, while daily self-care can be challenging, managing your diabetes from day to day, including foot care, is the best way to reduce your risk of developing complications.

See 'Preventing foot problems in diabetes' above. Your health care provider is the best source of information for questions and concerns related to your medical problem.

This article will be updated as needed on our website www. Related topics for patients, as well as selected articles written for health care professionals, are also available.

Some of the most relevant are listed below. Patient level information — UpToDate offers two types of patient education materials. The Basics — The Basics patient education pieces answer the four or five key questions a patient might have about a given condition.

These articles are best for patients who want a general overview and who prefer short, easy-to-read materials. Patient education: Type 2 diabetes The Basics Patient education: Nerve damage caused by diabetes The Basics Patient education: The ABCs of diabetes The Basics Patient education: Gangrene The Basics Patient education: Diabetes and infections The Basics.

Beyond the Basics — Beyond the Basics patient education pieces are longer, more sophisticated, and more detailed. These articles are best for patients who want in-depth information and are comfortable with some medical jargon. Patient education: Type 1 diabetes: Overview Beyond the Basics Patient education: Exercise and medical care for people with type 2 diabetes Beyond the Basics Patient education: Type 2 diabetes: Overview Beyond the Basics Patient education: Hypoglycemia low blood glucose in people with diabetes Beyond the Basics Patient education: Preventing complications from diabetes Beyond the Basics Patient education: Diabetic neuropathy Beyond the Basics Patient education: Glucose monitoring in diabetes Beyond the Basics Patient education: Quitting smoking Beyond the Basics Patient education: Peripheral artery disease and claudication Beyond the Basics.