4 Foot Care Tips For People Living With Diabetes 

18 Aug 4 Foot Care Tips For People Living With Diabetes 

Whether you are a newly diagnosed diabetic patient or someone who has been living with diabetes for years, it is always a good idea to brush up on different self care techniques to maintain your health. The health of your feet is vitally important when you are a diabetic and there are many things that you should do to protect your feet. In this post, we will take a look at four things you can do regularly to keep your feet healthy if you are a diabetic.

1. Do a Daily Inspection of Your Feet: It only takes a few seconds to examine your feet, so it is well worth doing on a daily basis when you are a diabetic. After showering and drying your feet and legs, take thirty seconds to quickly inspect everything. If you see any signs of blistering, redness, or swelling, contact your primary health care provider to schedule a medical examination. Additionally, if you spot any cuts on your feet, even minor ones, you want to address them right away so that the open wound does not turn into an infection. You can make examining your feet easier by holding up a mirror to see your heel and arch and ensure that nothing looks strange. If it is difficult to completely inspect your feet, ask a family member to help you or hold up a mirror so that you can see.
2. Make Sure There is Always a Healthy Blood Flow to Your Feet: Whenever you are sitting, especially for prolonged periods of time, keep your feet up and make sure that you are never crossing your legs. It is also vitally important that people with diabetes do not smoke as this habit has a detrimental effect on healthy blood flow. Lastly, there are some basic foot exercises you can do throughout the day to keep the blood flowing to your feet. For five minutes twice or three times a day, do a few toe wiggling movements followed by the up and down motion of your ankles. This is especially important for anyone to do if they work a desk job or sit for long periods throughout the day.
3. Regularly Check in With Your Doctor:As a diabetic patient, you will have more trips to the doctor’s office than the average person. Your primary care physician may at some point recommend that you visit a podiatrist or a foot specialist to examine your feet routinely or whenever you are experiencing problems. It is important to visit your doctor even when you don’t notice pain or other issues because you don’t necessarily have to feel an injury or some other problem for it to be there. A medical professional will be able to conduct a thorough assessment to ensure the health of your feet is where it should be. Remember to always follow your doctor’s advice regarding foot care and call your doctor at the first sign of noticeable issues such as an open wound, blistering, or swelling.
4. Get Involved in More Physical Activity: Being physically active will benefit not only your feet, but your overall health in countless ways. Strive to exercise at least twenty minutes three days a week. It is even better if you are able to fit in a brisk walk on a daily basis. Consult with your doctor or podiatrist to come up with a physical fitness program that will aid the health of your feet, maintain healthy blood flow, and ensure that your feet are not injured during your workouts.

Looking for more foot care tips for diabetics? Don’t hesitate to contact us today!