Orthotic and Foot Care Articles

Proper footwear should be worn when a person has diabetes. Diabetic shoes have many benefits over traditional shoes.  Mainly, the shoes have more room, are non-slip and provide cushioned & removable insoles. This article will present shoes made to help diabetics along with tips on how to take care of their feet.

Proper footcare is especially critical for diabetics because they are prone to foot problems such as:

• Loss of feeling in their feet (tingling or numbness)
• Changes in the shape of their feet
• Foot ulcers or sores that do not heal properly due to restricted blood flow

Tips to Keep Diabetic Feet Healthy

The following steps can be performed everyday to help prevent serious complications from diabetes:

1. Take Care of Your Diabetes
   Make healthy lifestyle choices to keep your blood sugar close to normal. Work with your health care team to create a diabetes plan that fits your lifestyle characteristics. Research the effects of sweeteners put into foods.  Natural sources of sweeteners tend to work best (cane sugar instead of high fructose..).
2. Check Your Feet Every Day
   Due to numbness, you may have foot problems that you may not be aware of so you should check your feet for cuts, sores, red spots, swelling, or infected toenails. If you have trouble bending over to see your feet, use a plastic mirror to help. You can also ask a family member to help you. Important Reminder: Be sure to call your doctor immediately if a cut, sore, blister, or bruise on your foot does not heal after a day.
3. Wash Your Feet Every Day
   Wash your feet in warm, NOT HOT, water. Do not soak your feet because your skin will get dry. Before bathing or showering, test the water to make sure it is not too hot. You should use a thermometer or your elbow. Dry your feet well. Be sure to dry between your toes. Use talcum powder to keep the skin dry between the toes.
4. Keep the Skin Soft and Smooth
   Rub a thin coat of skin lotion or cream on the tops and bottoms of the feet. Do not put lotion between your toes, as this might cause infection.
5. Wear Shoes and Socks At All Times
   Wear shoes and socks at all times. Do not walk barefoot, not even indoors. It is extremely easy to step on something and hurt your feet. Always wear seamless socks, stockings, and nylons with your shoes to help avoid the possibility of blisters and sores developing. Be sure to choose seamless socks that are made of materials that wick moisture away from your feet and absorb shock and shear. Diabetic Socks made of these materials help keep your feet dry. Always check the insides of your shoes before putting them on. Make sure the lining is smooth and there are no foreign objects in the shoe, such as pebbles. Wear shoes that fit well and protect your feet.
6. Protect Your Feet From Hot and Cold
   Always wear shoes at the beach or on hot pavement. Put sunscreen on the tops of your feet for protection from the sun. Keep your feet away from radiators or open fires. DO NOT use hot water bottle or heating pads on your feet. If your feet are cold, wear seamless socks at night. Lined boots are good to keep your feet warm in the winter. Choose socks carefully. DO NOT wear socks with seams or bumpy areas. Choose padded socks to protect your feet and make walking more comfortable. In cold weather, check your feet often to keep your feet warm avoid frostbite.
7. Keep the Blood Flowing to Your Feet
   Put your feet up when you are sitting. Wiggle your toes for 5 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day. Move your ankles up and down and in and out to improve blood flow in your feet and legs.
   • DO NOT cross your legs for long periods of time.
   • DO NOT wear tight socks, elastic, or rubber bands, or garters around your legs.
   • DO NOT wear restrictive footwear or foot products. Foot products that can cut off circulation to the feet, such as products with elastic, should not be worn by diabetics.
   • DO NOT smoke. Smoking reduces blood flow to your feet. If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, work with your health care team to lower it.
8. Be More Active
   Ask your doctor to plan an exercise program that is right for you. Walking, dancing, swimming, and bicycling are good forms of exercise that are easy on the feet. Avoid all activities that are hard on the feet, such as running and jumping. Always include a short warm-up or cool-down period. Wear protective walking or athletic shoes that fit well and offer good support.
9. Communicate With Your Doctor
   Ask your doctor to check the sense of feeling and pulses in your feet at least once a year. Ask your doctor to tell you immediately if you have serious foot problems. Ask your doctor for proper footcare tips and for the name of your local podiatrist.

Footwear

Before, diabetic shoes used to be clunky and boxy but now Diabetic Shoe Style has evolved to a point where they are stylish & comfy at the same time!  Aetrex makes a special line of stylish diabetic shoes for men and women: The Apex Ambulator Line. The Ambulators can be found in our popular diabetic shoes links below. Key features of the Ambulators include slip-resistant soles, 1/2″ removable depth to accommodate orthotics and many new styles. Please read our previous article about diabetic shoe inserts for additional information about diabetic foot risks.

Popular Diabetic Shoes for Women include the following:

Popular Diabetic Shoes for Men include the following:

Diabetes is affecting more and more people each year. While the medical industry tries to figure out how to prevent the condition, people need to be aware of how they treat the condition, especially when it comes to footcare.  Foot care is often overlooked as many people don’t think there is a correlation between foot health and their sugar levels.  One major complication associated with diabetes is blood flow circulation which is a major reason why diabetics need to pay attention to their feet since the feet are far from the heart.  Below are some risks diabetics need to be concerned with along with information on how to prevent complications.

Risk: Diabetic Neuropathy

As of 2000 at least 171 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, or 2.8% of the population. In America about 25% of people with diabetes will develop foot problems related to the disease.

Diabetic foot conditions develop from a combination of causes including poor blood circulation and neuropathy. Diabetic Neuropathy damages the nerves and causes insensitivity or a loss of ability to feel pain, heat, and cold. Diabetics suffering from neuropathy can develop minor cuts, scrapes, blisters, or pressure sores that they may not be aware of due to the insensitivity and numbness of the foot. If these minor injuries are left untreated, complications may result and lead to ulceration and possibly even amputation. Neuropathy can also cause deformities such as Bunions, Hammer Toes, and Charcot Feet.

Risk: Poor Circulation

Another major risk involves poor circulation and compounds the problems with the neuropathy risk. Diabetes can often lead to peripheral vascular disease that inhibits a person’s blood circulation. With this condition, there is a narrowing of the arteries that frequently leads to significantly decreased circulation in the lower legs and feet due to the distance from the heart. Poor circulation contributes to diabetic foot problems by reducing the amount of oxygen and nutrition supplied to the skin and other tissue, causing injuries to heal poorly. Poor circulation can also lead to swelling and dryness of the foot. Preventing foot complications is more critical for the diabetic person because poor circulation impairs the healing process and can lead to ulcers, infection, and other serious foot conditions.

Treatment and Prevention

It is very important for diabetics to take the necessary precautions to prevent all foot related injuries. Due to the consequences of neuropathy, daily observation of the feet is very critical. When diabetics take the necessary preventative footcare measures, he or she will reduce the risk of serious foot conditions.

Footwear and orthotics play an important role in diabetic footcare. Orthotics designed with Plastazote foam, the #1 material for protecting the insensitive diabetic foot, are usually recommended. At the OrthoticShop we have several prefabricated orthotics that use plastazote covers such as the Lynco Conform Series. Additionally, any of our custom orthotics can be made with plastazote covers. Plastazote is a material designed to accommodate pressure “hot spots” by conforming to heat and pressure. By conforming to the foot, Plastazote top covers provide the comfort and protection needed for diabetic feet. Diabetic footwear should also provide the following protective benefits:

• High, wide toe box (high and wide space in the toe area)
• Removable insoles for fitting flexibility and the option to insert custom or premade orthotics if necessary.
• Rocker Soles designed to reduce pressure in the areas of the foot most susceptible to pain, most notably the ball-of-the-foot.
• Firm Heel Counters for support and stability.

Additionally, the Orthotic Shop carries Popular Diabetic Shoes for Men and Popular Diabetic Shoes for Women.

If you are a diabetic, you should be particularly alert to any problems have with your feet. It is important for diabetics with neuropathy, tingling or numbness in the feet, to take necessary precautions to prevent injury and keep their feet healthy.

See our next Article on Diabetic Shoes for foot care tips.