15 diabetic foot care tips
Daily diligent diabetic foot care can prevent potential unpleasant health developments and, at the same time, keep feet beautiful.
No need to worry! Just indulge in thoughts of a journey, somewhere serene! We've found tips for you for detailed diabetic foot care that you can refer to daily as another good habit!
Just as we daily care for our teeth, our face, our personal hygiene, or even our clothing, so too must we care for our feet.
Our feet carry us on life's journey; by relying on them, we gain experiences, we live joys and sorrows. So, they may "not be seen often," but they certainly deserve our daily and essential care.
Check out the list below and feel free to write to us with your own care tips, how you care for your feet 👣
15 tips for diabetic foot care
- You can use a softening cream for dry skin on the soles and heels, but not between the toes to avoid fungal development.
- Always wear soft shoes with a wide and comfortable fit. It's best to avoid high heels, so for now, leave your "high heels" in the closet…😉
- For women: It would be better to avoid garters and socks with tight elastic bands. Choose diabetic socks, which are specially designed for people with diabetes in their daily lives. Our socks fit the foot like a second skin and constantly adapt to your movements. The extremely soft – seamless – knit reduces friction to a minimum and embraces the foot without constricting it, while thermoregulating threads wick away moisture and keep feet warm in winter and cool in summer, preventing the development of unpleasant odors.
- Avoid walking on cold or very hot surfaces as much as possible.
- At the beach or in the sea, it's good to wear water shoes or your flip-flops. Once you arrive at the beach, if there are pebbles, you don't need to put your soles through hardship. Put on your flip-flops until it's time to dip your foot in the water. Also, if the beach has sand, it's still good to wear your flip-flops until it's time for a refreshing dip, thus avoiding potential injuries or infections.
- Always wear wide shoes so that even if your feet swell, there is always enough room. We prefer shoes with a deep and wide sole, with enough length and height at the front for our toes, and enough width in the metatarsal area (at the "instep"). The best shoe has smooth internal seams and laces that keep it stable on our foot (shoes without laces are unsuitable because, to keep the shoe stable on our foot, they must be tight at the toes and heel, thus restricting our foot). We prefer to wear athletic shoes and, as we mentioned above, we leave our "high heels" in the closet for special occasions.
- Every evening when you relax on your couch, take a look at your feet. This way, you will notice possible small injuries, especially on the soles or in the spaces between the toes. Perhaps some changes in skin color, unusual swelling, sores, cuts, blisters, or blood under calluses.
- Cut nails straight across with the skin. The reason is simple. With straight nails, we avoid one toe injuring another with simple daily friction.
- Wash our feet every day with water temperature not exceeding 37 degrees Celsius, or, in simple terms, since we are not "mobile thermometers" - not with hot water. Lukewarm water, at 37°C, is the most suitable. Also, use mild soap and not antiseptics.
- Dry them well, paying special attention to drying the areas between the toes.
- Avoid placing our feet too close to fire and heaters and do not leave them in the sun for too long.
- It is advisable not to smoke. Why? For many reasons, as any doctor would tell you. One of them is that it also harms your feet.
- If an injury occurs, the wound should be covered with clean gauze until a visit to the doctor.
- Do not forget that exercise improves circulation, as well as general health. Find a reason to engage in various activities! Walk in your neighborhood park at dusk, watching the sunset, dance, swim, or cycle. Whatever you enjoy is an excellent choice, as exercise is invaluable for our body and soul. And this is not a cliché; it is the truth.
- With the help of our Diabetologist, we regulate our blood sugar as best as we can.
