Diabetic Foot Complication Prevention

One of the least managed complications of diabetes is foot complications. Physicians are on top of recommending eye exams to check for diabetic retinopathy and do blood work to check for early signs of kidney failure due to diabetes but diabetic foot complications (ulcers and amputations) seem to be a case of closing the barn door after the horse has gotten away.

As a pedorthist, I am routinely referred patients that have a diabetic foot ulcer or a toe amputation or a foot or leg amputation and told by the individual that ill fitting shoes were the cause of the ulceration or amputation and now their physician wants them in properly fit shoes to prevent another traumatic event.

To me, good, properly fit walking shoes should be standard care for all individuals so they can walk safely to lower their blood glucose levels, improve their circulations, improve their cardiac status, and generally feel better by being more active. Since most individuals cannot determine which shoe is good from bad for their foot shape, their foot conditions, it would make sense to use the expertise of someone who is a trained footwear specialist.

Good walking shoes or casual shoes should not be an after thought in helping individuals with diabetes stay healthier and avoid foot complcations. Every person with diabetes should be recommended to a pedorthist that specializes in diabetes footwear.

As a reminder, limb amputations due to diabetes occur at the rate of over 87,000 per year. The total of blindness and kidney failure due to diabetes is actually half that occurence even when added together. So an awareness of the costs to society and to the individual in their quality of life should be increased about diabetic foot complications and how to manage with good, properly fit shoes from a pedorthist that has a focus on diabetes care.