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Diabetes and Your Feet: Preventing Limb Loss

Why should someone with diabetes mellitus worry about their feet? Minnesota Podiatrist Dr. Michael B. DeBrule has many patients with diabetes mellitus. Actually, about 6% of the American population suffers from diabetes. These patients have problems with their feet because of arterial abnormalities (poor blood flow), diabetic neuropathy (poor sensation), a tendency to delayed wound healing, and trouble fighting off infection. About 15 percent of diabetic patients develop ulcers (sores on their feet) at some point in their lives, which can lead to infection, gangrene, and amputation. Dr. Mike DeBrule works to prevent limb loss by providing comprehensive foot exams, wound care, computerized and video walking analysis, diabetic shoes, foot surgery, and custom foot orthotics.

Diabetic patients concerned about developing ulcers and sores on their feet can often benefit from computerized video and gait analysis. F-scan shoe pressure analysis is very helpful to make sure a problem area has reduced pressure. The pressure profile example below (used with the permission of Tekscan, Inc.) demonstrates an area of high pressure (red color) for a diabetic patient behind the 2nd toe in the ball of the foot. After treatment with a custom foot orthotic, this area was retested and pressure was reduced significantly (blue color). The pressure reduction is also confirmed using a graph. Eliminating areas of high pressure can help prevent diabetic sores. The F-scan test also gives patients immediate feed back about the effectiveness of their treatment.

Diabetic Foot Care Instructions

Diabetes is a disease with no known cure. Prevention is the best treatment. Your physicians can only do so much to ensure that you stay as healthy as possible. You must take extra care of yourself at home. Dr. Mike DeBrule hopes the following guidelines will help diabetic patients to stay as healthy as possible:

1. Keep your blood sugar level under control as much as possible. High blood sugars affect your blood vessels, nerves, heart and ability to fight infections. These problems can result in heart attacks, gangrene and infections. If you are having problems controlling your sugars, call your physician.
   
   
2. Do not go barefoot. Diabetes can decrease the circulation and protective sensation to your feet. Wear cotton socks and shoes inside and outside the house. Whether you have "good feeling" in your feet or not, it is important to prevent bruises, cuts and abrasions to your feet.
   
   
3. Inspect your feet twice a day for changes such as red irritated spots, blisters, scratches or cuts. If you cannot see your whole foot, have a family member inspect them, or use a mirror.
   
   
4. If you have been prescribed special shoes or shoe inserts, wear them. If they feel uncomfortable, or do not fit correctly, call the office. They can be adjusted.
   
   
5. Do not soak your feet unless instructed to by your physician. Water heated to 105 degrees can cause burns in people with nerve and blood vessel problems.
   
   
6. Keep your feet moisturized. Dry skin can lead to infections in the feet. Consider applying moisturizing lotion to your feet twice a day when you inspect your feet. Apply lotion between your toes with caution because this skin does not breath well and can become infected.
   
   
7. If you notice any changes in your feet call the office immediately.
   
   
8. Keep your appointments. People with diabetes need to see their physicians on a regular basis to make sure they stay as healthy as possible.