Tips for Diabetic Foot Care

Check feet daily, say orthopaedic foot and ankle MDs

ROSEMONT, Ill., Aug. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- If you're among the 18 million Americans who've been diagnosed with diabetes, you may know that foot care is extremely important. Nervous system impairment or neuropathy is a major complication of diabetes that can cause you to lose feeling in your feet. This means you may not know right away if you have hurt yourself, which could lead to infection.

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Since minor injuries can quickly become major problems for diabetics, orthopaedic foot and ankle MDs have put together tips for diabetic foot care. These tips include some commonsense approaches, such as inspecting your feet daily for blisters, scratches, cuts and nail problems. Other basics include:

• Trimming toe nails straight across. Cutting nails at the corners can lead to ingrown toe nails and infection.
• Wearing loose socks to bed to keep your feet warm and help avoid foot injury when you get up at night.
• Not smoking. Smoking decreases the blood supply to the feet, which can delay wound healing.

For more tips on diabetic foot care and advice on shoes for diabetics, visit the Diabetic Foot Overview at FootCareMD, the patient education website of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS). If you injure your foot, call an MD immediately. Seemingly minor injuries can be very serious for diabetics.

About the AOFAS
The AOFAS promotes quality, ethical and cost-effective patient care through the education, research and training of orthopaedic surgeons and other health care providers. The Society creates public awareness for the prevention and treatment of foot and ankle disorders, provides leadership, and serves as a resource for government and industry as well as the national and international health care communities.​

About Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons are medical doctors (MD and DO) who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries of the foot and ankle. Orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons use medical, physical and rehabilitative methods as well as surgery to treat patients of all ages. Relying on four years of medical school training, five years of post-graduate training and often a fellowship in orthopaedic foot and ankle care, orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons perform reconstructive procedures, treat sports injuries, and manage and treat trauma of the foot and ankle.

Contact:
Jennifer Hicks
Public Education Manager
Office: 847-384-4379
[email protected]

SOURCE American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society

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