Why proper foot care is so important to people with diabetes.
The foot is especially affected by diabetes because:

• diabetes damages the nerves (damage can occur to the foot and not be detected) - this is called peripheral neuropathy.
  
• diabetes also affect the circulation. Poor circulation can affect the ability of the body to heal when damage occurs.
  
• those with diabetes are more prone to infection - the body's processes that normally fight infection respond slower and often have trouble getting to infections due to the poor circulation.
  
• diabetes can also affect the joints, making them stiffer
  
• other diabetes complications that can also affect the foot, for example, kidney disease (affects proteins that are involved in wound healing) and eye disease (can't see the foot to check for damage).

As a consequence of these factors a number of things can go wrong:

• the foot may get damaged and you do not know about (for example, your shoe rubs a sore onto a toe that gets infected - you can not feel it because of the peripheral neuropathy - you can not heal very well due to the infection and poor circulation).
  
• foot ulcer are common
  
• infections can spread
  
• the ultimate of this process is an amputation. Diabetes is the main cause of amputations.
  
• Charcot's joints is another complication of diabetes in the foot, especially if peripheral neuropathy is present - the neuropathy cause a numbness (imagine spraining your ankle and not knowing you have done this. You will continue to walk on it - imagine the damage that this would do.

1) Wash your feet daily (use a mild soap and lukewarm water). Dry very carefully, especially between the toes. It often helps to use talcum powder to dust the foot to further reduce moisture, however be certain to remove all the powder after dusting, as it should not leave a residue between the toes. If the skin is dry, use a good emollient - BUT, not between the toes).

2) Inspect your foot daily (check sores, cuts, bruises, changes to the toenails; use a mirror to look under the foot if you can not see it).

3) Look after your health (loose weight; stop smoking; exercise; reduce your alcohol consumption)

4) Look after your feet:

• cut toenails straight across and never cut into the corners; use an emery board or file on sharp corners.
• do not try to remove corns and callus yourself - see a Podiatrist for this; NEVER use commercial corn cures - this is so important in those with diabetes as it is so easy to damage the skin.
• avoid going barefoot, even in your own home (this lessens the chance of some accidental damage)

5) Proper fitting footwear is very important. Poorly fitted shoes are a common cause of problems in the foot of those with diabetes. Some advice:

• make sure the shoe fitter is experienced.
• new shoes should be comfortable when purchased and should not need a "break-in" period.
• they should fit both the length and width of the foot, with plenty of room for the toes.
• avoid shoes with high heels, pointed toes or tight around the toes (these put too much pressure on parts of the foot and can contribute to ulcers)
  

6) See a Podiatrist, at least annually.

Regular foot care from a Podiatrist is a key way to prevent problems from developing in those who are at risk.

When something does go wrong, see a Podiatrist immediately. Waiting a "few days to see what happens" before seeing someone may be the difference between a good and poor outcome. The sooner treatment is started the better.