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How to Prevent Common Diabetic Foot Problems

An estimated 20% of diabetics don’t know they have the disease, and therefore may not know to watch for foot problems. Nerve damage and poor circulation can cause even simple, ordinary foot issues to lead to serious complications. Cooper Clinic Preventive Medicine Physician Riva Rahl, MD, explains the foot problems diabetics face and how they can be prevented.

Neuropathy

Elevated blood sugars can damage the nerve endings—a painful condition called neuropathy. Nerves furthest away from the spine (such as those in the toes and feet) are more prone to damage.

When the nerves in the toes and feet become damaged, sensation declines. This can cause minor problems to escalate. "If you have neuropathy in your feet and you step on a nail, for example, you may not feel it," explains Dr. Rahl. Pain is a sign of infection and inflammation, but lack of feeling means the problems may not be noticed until they become serious.

If the nerves in the feet do become damaged, controlling blood sugar allows the nerves to regenerate with time. Some medications can be used to treat symptoms of neuropathy, but those medications do not cause nerves to regenerate.

Poor circulation is also a common problem among diabetics, and can exacerbate foot problems. Poor circulation leads to slow, poor healing. Something as simple as a cut or blister could take much longer to heal, and may become infected.

Preventing foot problems

Controlling blood sugar is the most important thing diabetic patients can do to help prevent foot problems. “By controlling diet and exercise, diabetics can improve blood sugar control,” explains Dr. Rahl. “By doing that, they can reduce risk that they even develop neuropathy.” In addition to keeping blood sugar in check, here are some other tips Dr. Rahl gives to prevent foot problems.

See a podiatrist often. Have your feet regularly examined by a podiatrist, not only to look for problems, but to clip toenails, sand down corns and take care of cosmetic issues that could lead to an infection.
Wear properly fitted shoes. If your shoes are too narrow and rub your feet, or too wide and your feet slip in the shoes, it can cause blisters or damage that could cause infection. To avoid these problems, go to an athletic shoe store to be fitted for shoes that fit your feet appropriately.
Exercise regularly. Exercise promotes healthy circulation, improves insulin resistance and helps control blood sugar, thereby lessening the risk of nerve damage. As a reminder, any type of physical activity could result in an injury, which may become serious for diabetics. When exercising, be sure your shoes fit correctly and watch for hazards that could cause damage to your feet.
See your doctor regularly. Your physician can help you manage your diabetes with diet and exercise, and can also check your feet for any signs of problems. Dr. Rahl also recommends staying up-to-date with shots and vaccines to help prevent illness and infection.

Whether or not you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important to regularly examine your feet. The more familiar you are with your body, the more likely you will be to notice when there is a problem. Look for redness, swelling, a non-healing blister or bump, and even ingrown toenails—all of these issues can cause problems for a diabetic.

If you think there may be a problem with your feet, schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately. For more information about Cooper Clinic, visit cooper-clinic.com or call 972.560.2667.