Written by Health Educator Shelby Gibson

Taking care of your feet is very important but especially important if you are diabetic. If you are diabetic you are probably thinking about all the things you have to manage, such as checking your blood sugar, making healthy food, taking needed medication and going to doctor’s appointments. This could feel overwhelming and checking your feet may be the last thing you think about.

Daily foot care is the best way to prevent complications with your feet. Between 60% and 70% of people with diabetes have diabetic neuropathy, meaning nerve damage. This nerve damage can cause you to lose feeling in your feet. When you don’t have feeling in your feet you may not notice that something is going wrong with them. This is why it is important to physically examine them on a daily basis.

To prevent nerve damage, it is important that you don’t smoke, you take your medications as prescribed and you get active. Make sure to contact your medical provider if you have questions or concerns regarding your diabetic foot care.

Check out this link for helpful tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to keep your feet healthy: https://www.cdc.gov/features/diabetesfoothealth/index.html