Table of Contents
- Overview
- Prevention
- Images
Wash your feet and toes every day with lukewarm water and mild soap. Strong soaps may damage the skin.
- Test the temperature of the water with your fingers or elbows before putting your feet in warm or hot water. Because of your diabetes, you may not be able to sense if the water is too hot. Burns can easily occur.
- Gently and thoroughly dry your feet, especially between your toes. Infections can develop in moist areas.
- Your feet may become very dry and may crack, possibly causing an infection. After bathing your feet, soften dry skin with lotion, petroleum jelly, lanolin, or oil. Do not put lotion between your toes if you have sores there.
Ask your health care provider if it is okay for you to trim your nails. If it is, ask your health care provider to show you the safest way. If your toenails are not trimmed correctly, you may get a foot sore or ulcer.
- Soak your feet in lukewarm water to soften your nails before trimming.
- Cut the nail straight across, because curved nails are more likely to become ingrown.
Avoid sitting with your legs crossed or standing in one position for long periods of time.
If you smoke, stop. It decreases blood flow to the feet.
TIPS ON SHOES AND SOCKS
Wear shoes at all times to protect your feet from injury. Otherwise, if you have poor vision and less ability to feel pain, you may not notice minor cuts or bumps.
- Check the inside of your shoes for rough areas or torn pieces that can cause excess pressure or irritation.
- If you have nerve damage to your feet, change or temporarily remove your shoes after 5 hours of wearing them during the day. This changes the pressure points during the course of the day.
The type of shoes you wear when you have diabetes is important:
- Wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes that have plenty of room in them. Never buy shoes that do not fit properly, hoping the shoes will stretch with time. Nerve damage may prevent you from being able to sense pressure from poorly fitting shoes. You may need a special shoe made to fit your foot.
- Wear shoes made of canvas, leather, or suede. Do not wear shoes made out of plastic, or another material that does not breathe. Do not wear thong sandals.
- Wear shoes you can easily adjust. They should have laces, Velcro, or buckles.
- Do not wear shoes with pointed or open toes, such as high heels, flip-flops, or sandals.
Socks may provide an extra layer of protection between your shoe and your foot.
- Wear clean, dry socks or nonbinding panty hose every day.
- Do NOT wear stockings with seams that can cause pressure points.
- Wear socks to bed if your feet are cold. In cold weather, wear warm socks and limit your exposure to the cold to prevent
frostbite .
MORE HELPFUL TIPS
- Do NOT use antiseptic solutions on your feet because these can burn and injure skin.
- Do NOT apply a heating pad or hot water bottle to your feet. Avoid hot pavement or hot sandy beaches.
- Remove shoes and socks during visits to your health care provider. This is a reminder that you may need a foot exam.
- Do NOT treat corns or calluses yourself using over-the-counter remedies. Make an appointment with a podiatrist to treat foot problems.
- If obesity prevents you from being physically able to inspect your feet, ask a family member, neighbor, or visiting nurse to perform this important check.
Report sores or other changes to your doctor immediately. Report all blisters, bruises, cuts, sores, or areas of redness.
Review Date: 05/22/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
