Diabetes, or hyperglycemia, is a disease that affects thousands of people, often making them a potential victim to many other medical issues. Without the proper management and care of their diabetes, many people can experience a variety of foot issues.
In order to ensure you are properly caring for your feet with diabetes, the Foot and Ankle Specialists recommend the following tips in order to keep your feet healthy:
- Wash feet daily. Cleaning your feet daily, with a mild soap and lukewarm water is key to ensuring the proper health of your feet. Be sure to dry them thoroughly, especially in between the toes.
- Moisturize your feet daily. By moisturizing daily, you can better keep dry skin from cracking, which can be dangerous in contracting infections. Be sure to avoid putting lotion between your toes, since this too may cause an infection.
- Trim your toenails. Regularly trimming your toenails is important in ensuring your feet and toenails are healthy. Cut your toenails straight across, avoiding the corners and ingrown toenails.
- Avoid self treatment. It is critical that you never attempt to treat corns or calluses on your own. You may risk serious infection when doing so, so it is imperative that you call your podiatrist for proper treatment.
- Keep your feet comfortable. Protecting diabetic feet from the elements, such as heat and cold, as well as hot water, is very important. Be sure to wear socks or the right foot wear in order to ensure they aren’t too warm or cold.
- Keep the blood flowing. It is important that you elevate your feet when sitting, avoiding sitting cross-legged, which can restrict the blood flow to your feet and legs. It is also important to stay active, promoting blood flow to your extremities.
- Perform regular checks. Inspect your feet every day, checking for cuts, redness, swelling as well as any issues you may be having with your toenails. If you notice anything unusual, or even the slightest change in your feet, contact your podiatrist immediately.
- No smoking. Smoking restricts blood flow to the feet, which is very dangerous for people with diabetes. This makes avoiding smoking critical in properly caring for diabetic feet.
- Wear the right shoes. Not only should your shoes be comfortable, but they must be supportive, avoiding going barefoot at all costs.Without the right support or wearing any shoes at all, you risk potential injuries to your feet, which can cause major issues for people with diabetes.
If you have diabetes, it is important that you visit your podiatrist regularly in order to ensure your feet are healthy. For more information, or help with your foot and ankle issues, contact the Foot and Ankle Specialists of Illinois today.
