Foot Care

If you have diabetes, it’s important to take care of your feet to prevent serious problems, like nerve damage. Over time, high blood sugar can damage the nerves or cause problems with how your blood moves through your body.

In turn, these can lead to food problems, like a tingling (pins and needles) feeling or loss of feeling. If left unnoticed or untreated, a sore can become infected and lead to more health problems.

If you get any warning signs like tingling or burning in your feet, you lose feeling, or the color or shape of your foot changes, call your doctor right away.

Follow these tips to keep your feet healthy:

• Check your feet every day for cuts, red spots, blisters and swelling. Call your doctor if they don’t get better.
• Wash your feet in warm water and dry them carefully.
• Rub lotion on the tops and bottoms of your feet, but not between the toes.
• Keep your toenails short.
• Never walk barefoot. Wear shoes and socks at all times.
• Put your feet up when you are sitting and move your toes and ankles to keep your blood flowing.
• Don’t smoke.
• Work with your doctor to keep your blood sugar in the right range for you.

Always wear shoes and follow these tips:

• Always wear shoes or slippers.
• Wear shoes that cover your toes and heels.
• Always wear socks with your shoes to keep them from rubbing your skin, and to help keep your feet dry.
• Wear white cotton socks so that you can tell right away if you have a problem (blood or pus).