Diabetic Foot Care

Why is diabetic foot care important?

Diabetic foot care is important because it reduces your risk of foot problems affecting your mobility. If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to have neuropathy (or permanent nerve damage). When the nerves in your feet and ankles don’t work, you can injure yourself and not realize it.

Regular visits to Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute catch these problems early and provide helpful insights so you can manage your diabetes at home.

How often should I schedule diabetic foot care?

Make a diabetic foot care appointment at Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute at least once a year if you have prediabetes, type 1 diabetes, or type 2 diabetes.

More frequent checkups might be necessary if you have symptoms like pain, tingling, or numbness in your feet or toes or if you struggle to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. 

What happens during a diabetic foot care appointment?

Your Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute provider reviews your medical records and asks about your diabetes, including your type and how well you manage your blood sugar. Then, they complete a podiatry exam, checking your toes, feet, and legs for potential problems like skin discoloration, diabetic ulcers, or ingrown toenails. 

Your provider gently presses on your feet and toes with various tools to see if you feel tingling or numbness. If you have an open wound, like a foot or toe ulcer, they collect a tissue sample and send it to a lab to check for an infection. They might also order diagnostic imaging, like X-rays or an MRI, to see how far the wound extends beneath your skin. 

What does diabetic foot care involve?

The Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute team takes a conservative and evidence-based approach to diabetic foot care. They might suggest:

• Checking your feet every day for changes
• Keeping your toenails trimmed and filed
• Wearing diabetic shoes or custom orthotics
• Smoothing out corns and calluses
• Wearing socks and shoes at all times to protect your feet
• Washing your feet daily
• Quitting smoking

You might benefit from an outpatient procedure like debridement or wound cleaning if you have diabetic ulcers or other slow-healing wounds. Your provider might prescribe antibiotics if you have a severe infection at risk of gangrene or amputation. 

Call the nearest Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute office today to schedule diabetic foot care or book your appointment online.