Care of the Diabetic Foot
Feet support your body weight, help maintain proper posture and help in movement. As the feet bear the entire weight of the body and are involved in most activities, they are more prone to problems such as calluses, corns, cracks, infections and traumatic injuries. To maintain good health of your feet, you should always wear comfortable, good quality and proper fitting footwear. Specially-designed shoe inserts, called orthotics, help in alignment and stabilization of the feet and can also reduce foot pain.
Tips for foot care
The basic instructions for maintaining healthy feet include:
- Keep your feet clean and dry. Scrub them to remove dead skin.
- Check your feet regularly for signs of injuries such as redness, discoloration, cracks or other abnormalities.
- Wear appropriately-sized foot wear that are comfortable.
- Footwear should have adequate ventilation to prevent fungal infection.
- Regularly cut your toenails straight and slightly curved at the edges.
- Never try to remove a corn, callus or ingrown toenail at home, as it can induce infection.
- Moisturize your feet properly to prevent cracks.
- While sitting for long periods, move and stretch your feet and ankles at regular intervals to promote circulation of blood in the feet.
- Stretch your feet daily and perform foot exercises.
- Never ignore foot pain. Consult a physician for appropriate treatment.
