If you have trouble seeing all of each foot, try using a mirror. In some situations, a selfie stick can even be an effective tool! Barring these, a loved one could also help you take a look.
In addition to your eyes, also use your hands as best as you can. Feel for bumps, roughness, changes in temperature, and anything else that might be out of the ordinary.
If you do discover something, do not hesitate to give us a call—especially if you sense changes in size, color, and shape of anything on your foot.
For cuts and other small injuries, we might recommend you keep an eye on it for a couple of days to see if it improves. For other matters, such as ingrown nails and calluses, we prefer you to schedule an appointment to take care of them safely without risking any other problems.
Develop Good Shoe and Sock Habits
Your feet will spend a great deal of time in your footwear, so make sure that time is not causing any unexpected potential for problems.
In general, shoes and socks should always be comfortable, properly fitting, and protective of your feet. Certain types of shoes and socks are created with diabetic concerns in mind, not including seams that have the potential to rub against and irritate skin while walking. These may be worth consideration.
Whenever you’re putting on shoes, do check inside them to make sure nothing has made its way in that shouldn’t be there. You should also check the lining periodically to make sure it is not breaking down into rough patches.
More often than not, however, wearing your shoes whenever appropriate is a good way to keep them guarded against injury. This can even include inside your own home.
In some cases, when a patient has an irregular foot shape that places excessive amounts of stress on areas of the foot, or has conditions such as bunions and hammertoes where pressure can cause further problems, the use of custom orthotic inserts may be recommended.
If you have custom inserts, use them! They are a very important tool in helping to prevent the injuries and irritations that can lead to extra trouble in someone who has diabetes.
Circulation Helps With Diabetic Conditions in Feet
As a gradual decrease in circulation quality can often happen over the course of diabetes, building habits to improve and maintain blood flow can be very helpful in slowing the progression of negative effects on your feet.
Little things can have a big cumulative effect on circulation to your feet:
- Don’t cross your legs for extended periods of time.
- Wiggle your toes and shift your ankles up and down for a few minutes several times per day. Even better, get up and walk around a bit every hour, if you are able.
- Put your feet up while sitting when possible. This reduces the challenge gravity poses on getting blood back up from your feet and lower legs.
Daily exercise is also going to yield great benefits for your circulation. You don’t have to engage in anything extra-strenuous; a walking routine is great!
That said, certain types of exercise might be preferable for your particular situation, especially if you have other conditions or factors in play. It’s always best to speak with us or your primary diabetic doctor before starting any sort of new exercise routine.
