4 Tips to Practice Diabetic Foot Care Each Day

Diabetes is a disease characterized by high blood sugar levels; either your pancreas doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin to convert glucose (sugar) into energy for the body’s cells, or the cells no longer respond to insulin’s effects. Either way, the sugar level in your bloodstream rises, putting your entire body at risk for complications. That includes your feet.

At Heart Vascular & Leg Center, our expert team of vascular, wound care, and podiatric specialists understands how harmful diabetes can be to your body. That’s why we offer diabetic foot care for our patients in the Bakersfield, California, area. If you don’t know how to practice good diabetic foot care, we have tips to get you on the go.

The diabetes-foot connection

Left untreated, diabetes can lead to serious health complications such as heart disease, a weakened immune system, and impaired nerve function in the feet (peripheral neuropathy). 

Diabetes also affects your circulatory system. High glucose levels irritate the lining of your arteries, the blood vessels that supply your body with oxygen and nutrients. The roughened lining allows for the build-up of a fatty plaque, which narrows the conduit's diameter when it hardens. This condition is called atherosclerosis or “hardening of the arteries.”

As a result of the decreased diameter, your heart has to pump harder to move the blood, which increases your blood pressure and potentially further damages the arteries. If your heart can’t pump strongly enough, your legs and feet become poorly served, starving the tissues.

When the decreased blood flow affects the lower limbs, it’s called peripheral artery disease (PAD), and untreated PAD can lead to a cascade of health problems: stroke, heart attacks, skin ulcers, necrosis (tissue death), and potential limb amputation. But it’s something of a Catch-22 because high blood sugar also increases PAD’s effects, making the condition harder to treat. 

Poor circulation has another negative effect — it makes your feet more susceptible to injury by reducing sensation. Unless you inspect your feet, you may not realize you have a bruise, cut, or an ingrown toenail before the foot develops an open, infected wound.

Foot wounds are the most common diabetes-related reason for hospitalization and are often the first step toward amputation. About 80% of diabetic lower-limb amputations begin with a foot ulcer. By taking proper care of your feet, you won’t end up as part of that statistic.

4 tips for practicing diabetic foot care each day

The best thing you can do to protect your feet and overall health is to control your blood sugar levels. The second-best thing is to embrace diabetic foot care.

You can do a lot to take care of your feet. Here are four good tips you should practice each day:

1. Inspect

You should inspect your feet twice daily, first in the morning to ensure you’re good to go and again at night before bed. Look for cuts, bruises, corns, athlete’s foot, dry skin, and anything else out of the ordinary. If you find something, treat it immediately to prevent a problem from developing.

2. Wash carefully

Wash your feet with warm water and mild soap — never use hot water, as it can scald, and don’t use an abrasive cleaner that might rip your skin. Dry your feet completely by blotting with a towel, not rubbing, and make sure to get between your toes. If you’ve got dry skin, moisturize when you’re through.

3. Choose the right shoes

Look for shoes with a large toe box to prevent pinching and recessed stitching to prevent chafing. Make sure they fit your whole foot well so they don’t rub when you walk.

4. Trim toenails properly

Cut your toenails straight across to prevent ingrown nails, and file them frequently. Trim them to near the edge of your toe to avoid cutting the skin.

Bonus tip: There’s nothing like a periodic, professional exam to ensure your feet remain healthy or to treat complications like blisters, corns, calluses, or any open wounds. We’re here to help you understand and manage your condition to the best of your ability.

If you’re a diabetic, Heart Vascular & Leg Center addresses your vascular, skin, and podiatric health under one roof. Call our office at 661-443-5524 to set up a diabetic foot care consultation with one of our doctors, or book online today.