Diabetes can change how your feet feel and heal. A short daily check at home helps you catch small problems before they become serious ones.
Why feet need extra attention
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about half of people with diabetes have some nerve damage, most often in the feet and legs. Nerve damage can reduce feeling, so a small cut or blister may go unnoticed. Poor blood flow can also slow healing. Together, these problems can lead to foot ulcers that become infected, which is why early attention matters.
Your two-minute daily check
- Look at both feet every day, including between the toes and the soles. Use a mirror, or ask a family member, if you cannot see the bottoms of your feet.
- Watch for cuts, redness, swelling, sores, blisters, corns, calluses, and changes in skin or toenails.
- Notice warmth or swelling in one foot but not the other. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) lists this as a possible early sign of Charcot foot.
- Check inside your shoes for objects or rough spots before you put them on.
Healthy daily habits
- Wash your feet in lukewarm water and dry them well, including between the toes.
- Moisturize the tops and bottoms of your feet, but not between the toes.
- Trim toenails straight across and smooth the edges with a file. If you cannot reach your feet or your nails are thick, ask a podiatrist to trim them.
- Wear shoes and socks at all times, including at home. Choose shoes that fit well and leave room for the toes.
- Keep feet away from heating pads, hot water bottles and hot pavement.
What to avoid
- Going barefoot
- Soaking your feet
- Cutting or removing corns and calluses yourself, including with over-the-counter products
- Smoking, which the AAOS notes significantly increases amputation risk in people with diabetes
When to call a doctor
The CDC and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) advise getting care promptly for a cut, blister or bruise that does not start healing after a few days, red, warm or painful skin, tingling, burning or pain in the feet, thick yellow toenails, an ingrown toenail, or any sore or ulcer. A foot that turns black or smells bad needs urgent attention.
Professional foot care
Ask your health care team to look at your feet at every visit. The CDC also recommends seeing a foot doctor at least once a year, and more often if you have nerve damage.
Sources
- Your Feet and Diabetes, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (opens in a new tab)
- Diabetes and Foot Problems, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH) (opens in a new tab)
- Care of the Diabetic Foot, OrthoInfo (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) (opens in a new tab)
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for an exam or personal medical advice. If you have foot or ankle pain, an injury, or any of the warning signs above, request an appointment or call 407-360-9990 to be seen at our Orlando or DeLand office.
Learn more about our podiatry services and the conditions we treat.