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Foot care in diabetes
diabetic foot care · foot care with diabetes · how to care for your feet with diabetes · feet in diabetes
With diabetes, the feet feel pain less and small wounds heal more slowly. Daily care helps prevent foot ulcers.
For everyone with diabetes, every day.
⏱ Duration: usually 5 to 10 minutes a day
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Light and mirror. Check your feet in good light. A mirror makes it easy to see the sole.
- Shoes. Soft, the right size, with no hard seams inside. Before putting them on, check with your hand for pebbles.
- Helper. If you cannot see well or it is hard to bend, ask a family member to check your feet.
What to bring
- A mirror
- A soft towel
- Foot cream
- A nail file
How it goes
- Check your feet every day: soles, toes, and between the toes
- Wash your feet in warm water, and test the temperature with your hand or a thermometer
- Dry them well, especially between the toes
- Apply cream to your feet, but not between the toes
- File your nails straight across and do not cut the corners
- Wear clean socks without tight elastic
- Do not walk barefoot, even at home
What you'll feel
- If feeling is reduced, you may not notice a sore, which is why checking matters
- Dry skin and cracks are common, and cream helps
Afterwards
- Do not warm your feet with a heating pad or soak them in hot water, since you can easily burn them
- Do not cut calluses or ingrown nails yourself, see a doctor
- Show your feet to your doctor regularly at visits
Contact a doctor straight away if
- A sore, ulcer, or crack that does not heal in a few days
- Redness, swelling, pus, or a bad smell
- The foot became cold, pale, or blue
- A fever and severe pain in the leg
Common questions
Can I get a pedicure?
Yes, from a technician who knows about diabetes, without sharp tools. A medical pedicure is better.
Why can't I walk barefoot?
You can hurt yourself and not notice. With diabetes, such a wound heals slowly.