What are the 4 proven factors for Reducing Foot Problems with Diabetes?

If you’re looking to reduce your chance of a foot complication caused by Diabetes there are 4 main factors you should consider.

For the purpose of this article a foot complication is anything that is caused by or made worse by the fact the person has Diabetes (Type 1 or 2)

These complications may include (but are not limited to)

Ulcers/Ulceration
Amputation
Nerve Damage
Peripheral Vascular Disease (reduced blood flow)
Calcification (Hardening of the arteries)
Increased frequency of, and more severe, infections

Factor 1: See a podiatrist regularly.

What’s regular is an individual thing, and only after a Podiatry assessment can the Podiatrist advise you as to how often your should be assessed. This recommendation is made after a number of considerations are made.

To be brief, the Podiatrist will assess and conclude that you are of a certain risk. This is a universal classification that has been designed and is shared by the Australian Podiatry Association and the Australian Diabetes Association and determines how high a risk you pose of experiencing a Foot Complication such as those listed above.

It mainly takes into account

Whether there are clinically evident changes to your blood flow or nerve supply
Your general health
Current medications
Current blood glucose control
And any other risk factors (such as smoking, poor footwear etc).

Recommended appointment frequency will be determined on an individual basis, with all factors taken into account, but mainly it is your Classification of Risk that will guide the Podiatrist in their recommendations for you.

For example, a low risk person may be advised to return in 12 months, whereas a high risk person might need to be seen at a much higher frequency, as even basic general foot care tasks such as nail cutting can pose a high level of danger.

Factor 2: Wear Appropriate Shoes

This seems like a simple thing. The common theme we see in a clinical setting is the thought that when it comes to shoes; expensive means good.

I’ve lost count of the amount of times people have challenged my view of their shoes based on the quality of the materials used. ‘They’re good quality Italian leather’ I hear in protest all the time.

But is that enough to make your shoes good for you? For a Diabetic foot our higher priorities of a shoe design are:

Solid construction
A non slip sole
Low heel but the heel still slightly higher than the forefoot
Adequate fitting around the heel, midfoot and toes so the shoe is not putting any extra pressure on the skin in these areas

Factor 3: Control blood sugar levels.

Podiatrists wont take an active role in this. However we’ll take a keen interest in your sugar levels as fluctuating or consistently high levels could spell trouble on the horizon.

You can do everything right by way of your Podiatrist, but if your blood glucose levels are out of control, the problems are only a matter of time.

Factor 4: Checking your feet regularly

When you have Diabetes, your feet need to be checked every day.

The best thing you can do is assume you have a problem with your feeling and sensation (your Podiatrist might even tell you your sensation is good).

Taking the mindset that your feeling and sensation to your feet is not perfect is a safe option I would recommend to everyone with Diabetes.

Why?

Because you’ll need to check your feet every day to ensure you haven’t any damage that you didn’t feel happen.

This is a great habit to get into even if your still young and healthy. It will help to keep you safe in the future.

We clean our teeth everyday from a young age right?

Written by Stephen Iannazzo. Stephen is a Geelong Foot Clinic Podiatrist with 12 years experience treating people with Diabetes in Private Practice. If you would like access to more of his information feel free to subscribe below.