Diabetic Foot Care
Diabetic Foot Care Guidelines
Diabetes can be dangerous to your feet—even a small cut could have serious consequences. Diabetes may cause nerve damage that takes away the feeling in your feet. Diabetes may also reduce blood flow to the feet, making it harder to heal an injury or resist infection.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of 1. A person with diabetes and a small cut on the foot, 2. A person with diabetes foot with the cut that turns into nerve damage, reduced the flow of blood or and infection.
Because of these problems, you might not notice a pebble in your shoe—so you could develop a blister, then a sore, then a stubborn infection that might lead to amputation of your foot or leg.
To avoid serious foot problems that could result in losing a toe, foot, or leg, be sure to follow these guidelines.
Inspect your feet daily
Check for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling, or nail problems. Use a magnifying hand mirror to look at the bottom of your feet. Call you doctor if you notice anything.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of a person checking their feet with a magnifying hand mirror.
Wash your feet in lukewarm (not hot!) water
Keep your feet clean by washing them daily. But only use lukewarm water—the temperature you would use on a newborn baby.
Be gentle when bathing your feet
Wash them using a soft washcloth or sponge. Dry by blotting or patting—and make sure to carefully dry between the toes.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of a person carefully bathing their feet
Moisturize your feet—but not between your toes
Use a moisturizer daily to keep dry skin from itching or cracking. But DON’T moisturize between the toes—this could encourage a fungal infection.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of a person moisturizing the top and bottom of their feet
Cut nails carefully—and straight across
Also, file the edges. Don’t cut them too short, since this could lead to ingrown toenails.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of a person properly cutting their toenails
Never trim corns or calluses
No “bathroom surgery”—let your doctor do the job.
Wear clean, dry socks
Change them daily.
Avoid the wrong type of socks
Avoid tight elastic bands (they reduce circulation). Don’t wear thick or bulky socks (they can fit poorly and irritate the skin).
Photo: Photo or line art drawing the proper and improper type of socks to wear
Wear socks to bed
If you feet get cold at night, wear socks. NEVER use a heating pad or hot water bottle.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of a heating pad and hot water bottle with a slash through it for NO
Shake out your shoes and inspect the inside before wearing
Remember, you may not feel a pebble—so always shake out your shoes before putting them on.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of a person shaking out their shoes before putting them on
Keep your feet dry and warm
Don’t get your feet wet in snow or rain. Wear warm socks and shoes in winter.
Never walk barefoot
Not even at home! You could step on something and get a scratch or cut.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of a person barefoot and not barefoot and put an X through the barefoot example
Take care of your diabetes
Keep your blood sugars under control.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of a person checking their sugar levels with a meter
Don’t smoke
Smoking restricts the blood flow in your feet.
Photo: Photo or line art drawing of a no smoking sign
Get periodic foot exams
See your podiatric foot and ankle surgeon on a regular basis for an examination to help prevent the foot complications of diabetes.
