Ask the Expert Archive Week 16
Diabetic Footcare
Diabetics are at risk of so many complications from kidney failure to blindness to poor circulation - especially in the feet.
Podiatrist Glen Copeland gives us some footcare tips for people with diabetes. Diabetes is a very prevalent disease in North America today. About 5% of the population have been diagnosed as diabetics, and about 5% of the population it is estimated are undiagnosed diabetics. Diabetes affects the foot because the complication of diabetes is that of having poor circulation to the foot. The foot is furthest from the heart and therefore suffers the most. So therefore it's very difficult for a diabetic whose under poor control with bad arterial disease to heal a wound. For a typical person who injures their foot the healing process may take seven to ten days, in a diabetic unfortunately because of poor blood supply that little sore may not heal and become infected and become what we know as an ulcer.
It's very important for a diabetic patient to do a number of things on a day to day basis. First and foremost inspect your own foot. Take a look at it, feel it, make sure that there's no new sores, no redness no irritated areas. Number two, you want to make sure that your doctor and podiatrist on a regular basis sees the foot and examines it. Number three make sure you don't do any of your own foot care yourself, don't become a bathroom surgeon. See your podiatrist on a regular basis to have you nails trimmed to have your calluses trimmed, and for at least an every six week inspection. Number four, make sure your shoes fit properly and that's very important because you don't want to irritate the foot. And fifth and foremost make sure that if there's anything on the foot that doesn't look normal get to see you podiatrist and family doctor immediately, anything you can nip in the bud can prevent a lot of problems later on. If you would like to send a question to Ask the Expert you can either email us at rx@tvo.org or fill out our form.
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