Peripheral neuropathy and decreased circulation can lead to serious foot problems. Please be sure to:
Check your feet daily, top and bottom for foot problems. Check for swelling, scratches, cuts, reddened areas, blisters, cracks, calluses or sores. Check for areas of increased warmth or changes in color. If you find any of these conditions, notify your doctor.
Do not walk barefoot at any time. If you have a loss of sensitivity in your feet and step on something that causes a wound or infection, you may never know it until it becomes severe.
Wear comfortable shoes that fit well (same reason as above).
Dry your feet well especially between your toes. Apply lotion or cream to the tops and bottoms but not between your toes.
Do not use sharp objects or chemicals on your feet. Trim nails with clippers and smooth with an emory board. Cut your toenails to match the contour of your toes.
Schedule regular visits with your podiatrist. It is preferable to let the podiatrist trim your nails and remove corns and calluses.
Ask your healthcare team about “diabetes shoes” covered by Medicare and some insurance companies.
Marci SloaneMarci Sloane, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE, is a registered and licensed dietitian/nutritionist and certified diabetes educator. She grew up in NYC where she graduated with a degree in Nutrition and Physiology from Teachers College at Columbia University.
For over a decade, Marci managed a Diabetes and Nutrition Education Center at a multi-bed hospital in South Florida and has been counseling people on healthy eating, weight loss, and managing diseases and conditions such as: diabetes, pre-diabetes, healthy eating, heart disease, weight loss, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, hypertension, hypoglycemia and a host of other nutrition-related diseases.
Marci is an American Diabetes Association Valor Award recipient and lectures frequently to the public and healthcare professionals. Marci was a featured panelist for the Sun-Sentinel's "Let's Take It Off" weight loss program, was highlighted in the Palm Beach Post: Meet Your Neighbor, "Woman's book on healthy eating uses humor as a key ingredient" and was a participant in their Diabetes Series in 2007. Marci Sloane is a member of the American Diabetes Association’s Health Professional Committee.
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