Foot disease is the most common complication of diabetes and one that most often leads to hospitalization. But daily foot inspection and proper care of your feet can help you to avoid serious problems. If you stumble, trip or drop something on your foot, it might cause a small fracture or major tissue damage; however, because you may have lost the ability to feel sensation in your feet, you might not notice the injury until you see another sign like redness or swelling. A foreign object inside your shoes or socks may also cause injury.

Foot injury can also result from repetitive stress on your injured foot, generally a result of wearing shoes that don’t fit properly. Because of your loss of protective sensation, you may not feel any discomfort, and will continue to put pressure on the spot where the sore has developed. Calluses, blisters or bunions may form and if untreated, they will eventually become ulcerated.

Make foot inspections as much a routine as brushing your teeth. Here are a few foot care tips:
Inspect your feet every day, looking for blisters, bleeding, scratches, bruises, bumps or any other sign of injury. Check between your toes too, and use a handheld mirror if you have any difficulty seeing your feet closely. Ask a family member to help you.

The bottoms of the feet are just as important as the tops. If you have lost all or some sensation in your feet, you may not feel a sore that it is developing and may continue to put pressure on it by walking. These kinds of sores can quickly become infected.

Inspect your toenails. Fungal infections of the nail are most common on the nail of your big toe. If it isn’t treated, your entire toe can become infected. You may be given a prescription for an antifungal medication, which your pharmacist can explain the use of. Sometimes these medications take a while to work.

Trim your toenails straight across. Don’t cut into the corners of your nails. Smooth the rough edges with an emery board. Toenails should be trimmed weekly. Have your health care team show you how.

Don’t try to remove ingrown toenails, calluses and corns yourself, see a podiatrist. Using bathroom scissors or clippers to remove these from your feet is dangerous and may cause other injury. You may smooth the edges of them with a pumice stone but if they need removal, see a foot care specialist.

Warm, soapy water is best for your feet. Feet should be patted dry with a thick, soft towel, especially between the toes. Don’t soak your feet and avoid the use of hot water, hot water bottles, heating pads or electric blankets. If your feet are cold at night put on warm socks.

Pamper your feet. Your skin must be kept soft and smooth. Cover the tops and bottoms of your feet with a thin layer of petroleum jelly or a moisturizing skin lotion containing lanolin, which will help to prevent dry or cracked skin. Talcum powder can be dusted between your toes to keep the skin dry.

Keep your feet covered. Wear shoes and socks at all times, even inside your home. Change your socks daily, and buy only wool or cotton socks. Make sure your feet are measured properly when you are buying new shoes, so that you can be sure they fit properly and change your shoes regularly during the day to avoid blisters or sores from forming.

Keep your feet moving. When you’re seated, don’t cross your legs and try to elevate your feet. Wiggle your toes, and move your ankles from side to side to improve your circulation. If you smoke, try to quit since smoking has a damaging effect on your circulatory system.

Visit your doctor regularly. Ensure you have your feet inspected at each visit with your doctor, particularly if you have any foot or leg pain.

Foot facts

• Your foot contains more nerves than any other part of your body. Foot massage, sometimes referred to as reflexology, has been demonstrated to be very restorative to the foot specifically and the body in general.
• The average person will walk 115,000 miles in a lifetime and between six and eight thousand steps a day.
• There are 250,000 tiny sweat glands in one pair of feet.