Most important steps to help prevent diabetic foot complications

It is estimated that more than 18 million Americans have diabetes. More than 200,000 people are suffering under the age of 20 years of diabetes. Children and young adults in this age group most affected, as a rule of type 1 diabetes. This type of diabetes results from the inability to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone the body needs to use sugar for energy. Unfortunately, there is a growing trend of children in this age group develop type 2 diabetes.

Over 10 million people aged between 20 and 60 affected by diabetes. Most people in this age group who develop type 2 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, the body produces insulin but does not produce enough of the hormone, or the cells do not respond well to them. The result is a level of blood sugar. Their level of blood sugar is high, because sugar is not incorporated into the cells and used for energy properly. Approximately 8 million people 60 years or older with type 2 diabetes.

Although all races are affected by diabetes are more than 11% of non-Hispanic blacks suffered at the age of 20 years of diabetes. Indians and Alaska Natives is 2.2 times the risk of disease from diabetes than non-Hispanic whites of similar age and Pacific Islanders are considered a higher risk of cancer, diabetes.

Serious complications associated with diabetes include stroke, including heart disease, blindness, kidney disease, hypertension, nervous system disease and amputations. In 2002 there were 82,000 lower extremity amputations in diabetes. Six people from 1,000 people with diabetes have a lower limb amputation. A slow healing or non healing ulcer (known as ulcers) in the foot is the most common cause of diabetes is at the end with a foot or leg amputated. More than 2 million have diabetic ulcers, and one in four diabetics with an ulcer have an amputation. Unfortunately, over 25% of diabetics do not belong to a boil.

Treatment of diabetic ulcers is difficult. No prevention of diabetic ulcers. Prevention of diabetic ulcers is the key to reducing the risk of amputation. Other important measures to avoid amputation, reduced the likelihood of infection and the development of a fire. Infections can develop in the ulcer on an ingrown toenail, corn between your fingers or a blister or callous. Gangrene is the result of poor circulation. All this makes the infection can cause a fire if traffic is bad. Very few people develop spontaneous gangrene. Most people have an injury or damage that predisposes them to develop an open sore (ulcer or) a bubble or ingrown toenails. The trauma can be something as simple as rubbing the shoe on the side of the foot. In people with poor circulation, it is difficult to cure, even the small wound on his leg.
If the agency can not send enough blood is on his feet to heal the wound, gangrene in. It's important to have a podiatrist for diabetes checkups every two months to help with ingrown toenails, corns and grains to a problem detected. The family doctor will refer you to a vascular surgeon to see if deemed necessary.


1. Check your feet every day! This is an absolute necessity. If you do not have legs, have a friend or family member check your feet. If necessary, place a mirror on the floor and put your feet in it for cuts, waste, bruises, openings or areas of irritation in the search. Be sure to check between the toes. Very moist areas, white spots or red areas are bad. Check the athlete's foot, spots, areas of the blank sheet between the toes or bottom of the feet. Verify that the irritated areas of redness or swelling. If no infection. Redness, pus, and drainage are all signs of infection. Look for ingrown toenails.


3. Do not walk barefoot or in sandals. Broken and pins can be hidden in the carpet and touch a foot, no problem. Punctures may go unnoticed. Foot protection can do more harm if pushed or made into furniture.

4. Watch out wrinkles in socks. Believe it or not, small wrinkles in the stockings for ulcers and infections. Rough seams socks may also be areas that can irritate skin and cause ulcers collapse.

5. Dry your feet after a shower and dry between the toes. Increased moisture between the toes can lead to skin breakdown. This eventually becomes an ulcer between the toes. Ulcers of the feet is very difficult to heal.

6. There is a fashion victim. High fashion shoes usually leads to a large number of leg problems. Make sure shoes are wide enough.
Do not buy shoes that are too large or too long, which can cause the obvious risk of slippage. Choose shoes that are soft and flexible to allow a cushion at the top and sides, but rigid, with only one. Make sure that there will be times in half. For your safety, pay for extra depth diabetic shoes with their deposits. These shoes will take pressure of your feet. Ask your doctor.

7. Check bath water with your hand before putting your foot in it. The temperature of the foot feel, is very different sense the temperature of the hand, if you have neuropathy. Be sure to check the temperature with your wrist. This is much more expensive than on the leg.

8. Do not use heating pads on your feet. This can cause burns, has not noticed.

9. Do not use protective medical or medicated corn pads from the local pharmacy. These pads are effective medical and can be burned in a chemical to the surrounding skin. Do not use any medicine for the skin, if you do, if requested by your doctor.

10. Do not cut nails. If you have loss of sensation or poor blood supply, ensure that a podiatrist cut your toenails.

11. Cutting is not your cereal or corns. As already mentioned, if you have a loss of sensation or blood supply, then your podiatrist trim your cereal or corns.

12. Lose weight. Easier said than done, but this is one of the most important steps to be taken to your overall health and the health of the diabetic foot. Her feet are not designed to accommodate the additional 100 pounds, that extra 50 pounds or even lead to an additional 20 pounds. The pressure in the legs, and further develop its problems.

13. Exercise. Exercise not only helps you lose weight, improve your health will also help blood circulation in the legs and feet.

14. Stop smoking! This applies to everyone, but especially for diabetics. Smoking causes blood vessels to shrink. Smoking contributes to clogged arteries. Smoking also makes it difficult for nutrients in the blood to areas where they used to be. Diabetes + Smoking = Disaster.

15. Visit a podiatrist regularly.