person looking at their feet with a magnifying glass

Type 2 Diabetes and Foot Care

Yes, We have all heard about the dangers and risks that come with not taking care of our feet. Foot care is really important for a diabetic and cannot be neglected. We have to monitor our feet daily for sores, cracks, cuts or any other type of skin breakdowns. These can all cause other problems that could affect our lives. Like walking for one. If you are working and have a job that requires you to stand or walk, a lot this can all be unbearable and even hard to live with for some. Catching these as early as possible is a good way to prevent infections and future problems that could cause possible removal of the infected area or even amputation. Not fun at all.

Foot problems with type 2 diabetes

We hear clean between your toes and make sure they are dry. Keep your toenails trimmed. Moisturize to avoid dryness that could lead to cracks. Check your feet for sores or pressure spots. Being a diabetic, you have heard at least one of these rather it's from our physician or another medical professional. Yes, I know it may get aggravating sometimes but we have to do it. Keeping your toenails trimmed can reduce ingrown toenails that could lead to sores if the toenail breaks the skin, OUCH! Also, long toenails can make wearing your favorite shoes not so favorite or comfortable shoe not so comfortable. And you are going to go through a lot of socks. I don't know about you but I can't keep buying socks I could use that money for something else. Sometimes you may get a lot of dead skin (calluses) that build up around the heel and other areas of the feet. This can be very uncomfortable but also can cause cracks on the bottom of your feet. If you can't really feel it and can't see it because you have the skin build up this too can be very dangerous for a diabetic. Between the toes are much harder to see for many of us but this is extra important. Sometimes it's what we can't see that get the least attention and when we can't feel it we tend to neglect it altogether. In our case, we don't want to do that. Not taking care of our feet is NOT an option.

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Tips for foot care

Just a few tips to help keep your feet as healthy for as long as possible...

  1. Talk to your physician or medical professional if you need assistance with trimming your nails and removing dead skin (calluses) from your feet.
  2. If your physician or medical professional is ok with you trimming your own toenails, be very careful not to cut too short to cause soreness and cuts at the nail bed.
  3. Wear fitted shoes can reduce the extra friction that may cause calluses.
  4. Moisturize your feet daily. This helps with keeping the skin soft and not too dry which could lead to cracks.
  5. Be sure to clean between your toes but be gentle. The skin between your toes is softer. Sometimes just pulling your toes apart can easily cause a skin tear.
  6. If you are ever in a situation where your feet get wet for an extended period of time be sure to get them dry as soon as possible. This will help reduce the possibility of skin tears and infections (maybe keep extra shoes and socks handy if possible).
  7. When taking off your socks check them for dried or wet stains that could be a result of a sore or infection that you can't feel or see. Contact your physician or a medical professional if you notice blood or infection stains
  8. When walking around always wear something to protect your feet from cuts on maybe glass or other sharp objects.
  9. If you are not able to look at your feet yourself maybe a family member can look for you daily or even a caregiver. Someone else looking can actually get a better view.
  10. Always get advice from your physician or a medical professional if you have a sore that does not heal.

Again this is only a few tips...

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There are many things that we can do to take care of our feet. What are some things you do to keep your feet healthy?

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