Feet are on my mind today.
As I am sure you know, feet are a big thing with diabetics. If
they aren't on your mind when you think of taking care of your diabetes, they
should be. Your feet are pretty
important and you need to give them a little attention. After all, where would
you go without them?
5 Dos and Don’ts for your diabetic
foot care
Do –
1.
Always
wear shoes. Protect those tooties inside and out. Come on, we all stub our toes
occasionally but if you had shoes on, you wouldn't stub your toe.
2.
Check your feet each morning to see that
everything is okay. Look for any spots that look different whether they are dry
patches or a sore. If there is something wrong, go have it checked
immediately.
3.
Moisturize your feet! If your feet are really
dry and the skin is cracked, then you need to get them pumiced and
moisturized. The cracks in your feet are
openings that invite fungus and bacteria. Use a pumice stone in the shower (see
video on how below) and try my favorite foot moisturizing idea. When you are ready for bed, use a product
like Aquaphor on your feet and put on some old LOOSE cotton socks. While you
sleep, the ointment can work on your dry skin. If your efforts are not working,
please go to your podiatrist and have the doctor get the dead skin off your
foot so that you can keep it healthy.
4.
Be careful cutting your toe nails. The nails
should be cut straight across to prevent ingrown toe nails. If you are having problems
cutting your nails, you can have the podiatrist cut them when you are there for
your visit or if your podiatrist offers pedicures, you can pamper your feet
instead of just cutting your nails.
5.
ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS wear shower sandals at
the gym and pool. Protect your feet from fungus that lives and thrives in those
environments.
Don’t –
1.
DON’T Ignore any open
sores on your foot. If you get a blister, watch and make sure it is healing. If
you cut your foot, WATCH it. If the area turns red, feels warm or you have a
fever, get to the doctor. If you see a red line going from the sore up your leg
– go to the emergency room. NOW.
2.
DON’T wear shoes that are
too tight. They will rub and compromise your skin. When you buy shoes, they should
feel comfortable right away. There should not be a break in period.
3.
DON’T wear socks that are
tight. They should be comfortable but not leave marks on your skin. Socks are
too tight if they leave marks on your feet and legs. If you have swollen ankles
and feet, you can buy diabetic socks. They are made for a looser fit.
4.
DON’T Wear sandals when
you are participating in activities where you could cut your feet. For example,
wear shoes when you are mowing the lawn not sandals. If you are doing handyperson jobs around the
house, wear shoes to protect your feet.
5.
DON’T miss your annual or
semi-annual appointment with your podiatrist.
I hope you all have a great weekend.
Thanks for reading
Don’t miss a post!
Sign up at the top of the page for an email notification when there is a
new post. I promise I won’t use your
email address for anything but notices of new posts.
If you are looking for other foot tips, check out my other
blog, www.epsfootdocs.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment