he lifetime risk that a person with diabetes will develop a foot
ulcer may be as high as 25%. To lower your chances of having this happen
and to keep your feet in tiptop shape, Wrobel recommends taking these
steps.
Take care. Wash feet daily with warm water and soap, dry
well, then soften with lotion, cream, or petroleum jelly, avoiding the
areas between toes. Trim or file toenails into a shape that's almost
square but with no corner points to break skin or cause in grown toenails.
Be sure the shoe fits. Indoors or out, wear properly
fitting, closed-toe shoes to protect feet from stubs and bangs. After
age 40, when feet get wider, consider prescription orthopedic footwear
for better balance and stability. Never go barefoot.
Wear socks. Clean, light-colored, and lightly padded socks
will show blood or draining wounds so you can easily spot problems.
Avoid slow-drying, 100% cotton socks in favor of synthetic blends that
wick moisture away and discourage fungus.
Fight fungus. Fungus, which thrives in moisture, can lead
to infection. Where can you pick up fungus? From carpet, showers, and
gym floors. To help kill it, use medicated foot powders like Tinactin orMicatin and spray Lysol inside your athletic shoes.
Inspect daily. Take a good look at your feet every day. A
recent study of male veterans with diabetes found that more than half
couldn't see or reach the bottom of their feet. If you aren't flexible
enough to see your soles, ask someone to help or use a magnifying mirror
to scout trouble spots like redness, bruises, and tiny punctures.
Shake things up. Give your shoes a good shake regularly.
Seemingly harmless debris like coins and pebbles can fall unnoticed into
shoes, injuring feet.
Don't go to extremes. Insensitivity to temperature means you could accidentally damage your feet, so avoid becoming too hot or too cold.
Heat can cause feet to swell and can burn skin, so don't soak
your feet in hot water -- and stay away from hot-water bottles, heaters,
and fireplaces, too. Wear insulated boots and socks in very cold
weather to help prevent.frostbite
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