In the first part of this post we discussed what diabetes does to the feet. These include abnormal foot sensation, infections, poor wound healing, and the possibility of amputation. In this post, we’ll consider how to know whether your own feet are at risk of those complications. You will also learn essential tips for diabetic foot care to take to reduce your risk.
Image by Jasmine Qaynor from Unsplash
Risk Factors in the Diabetic Foot
- Longstanding diabetes: Remember that high blood sugar damages the blood vessels. When the blood sugar is therefore elevated for a very long time (e.g., over 10 years), there is increased risk of damage to the vessels and the parts of the body they supply with blood.
- Poorly controlled blood sugar: The best indicator of blood sugar control is glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). Your doctor will often request this test from you if you are attending a diabetes clinic. This test measures your average blood sugar control over the past 3 months. If your HbA1c is consistently high, it puts you at risk of diabetes foot complications
- Previously-affected feet: If one of your feet has already begun to be affected, there’s a high risk that the other for might be involved as well
- Other diabetes complications: If you have kidney disease or eye problems due to diabetes, your foot may also possibly soon be affected.
- Smoking: Smoking also damages blood vessels, increasing the risk of peripheral arterial disease tenfold. Combining this habit with diabetes will increase your risk of developing foot complications.
- Poor footwear: Tight footwear may cause blisters which might eventually transform to poorly healing wounds.
Tips to Take Care of Your Diabetic Foot
- Don’t walk barefoot, even indoors
- Wash your feet carefully everyday. Ensure to inspect them everyday for wounds and blisters.
- Don’t ever apply hot water to your feet
- Moisturize your feet and legs regularly
- Don’t wear tight-fitting footwear
- Footwear that cover your toes are better for you
- Always wear socks with your shoes
- Cut your nails with a nail-cutter, trimming them straight to avoid ingrown nails
- Be regular in clinic visits and at least once a year, submit to a foot examination
Conclusion
If you control your blood sugar, adopt healthy habits and take good care of your feet, you reduce your risk of developing the dreaded complications we mentioned earlier.
