It is important
for diabetes
patients to
start taking
very good
care of their
feet while
they are
still healthy.
Diabetes, a difficult disease in many ways, calls for extra vigilance when it comes to your feet. The things that a diabetes patient needs to do are quite simple and low-tech. But Satterfield stresses how important it is for diabetes patients to start taking very good care of their feet while they are still healthy. And here’s the simple daily care she says diabetes patients need to do.
+ Shake out shoes before putting them on in the morning.
PHOTO: AM Y NUENSINGER/JUPI TER IMAGES
+ Examine your feet every day, including looking at the bottom of your feet (a special mirror can be purchased to make this easier), checking for cuts, sores, redness and swelling.
+ Be sure the spaces between your toes are dried well after bathing.
+ Wear good-fitting shoes (check out “Finding Shoes That Treat Feet Right” at left for how to select the best ones).
Over-the-counter (OTC) shoe inserts, called
orthotics, can greatly improve foot comfort.
“According to APMA’s most recent foot ail-
ments survey, 24% of Americans reported
buying insoles or inserts over the counter,”
notes Christian Robertozzi, D.P.M.
“OTC orthotics definitely have their place,”
asserts Kathleen Satterfield. D.P.M. They are
a great value, she explains, for women who
Relieves tender heels, aching
arches and even lower-back pain.
have mild heel pain, although they may not be
the best choice for someone with “severe
pain or deformity that has been present for
a long time. However, a woman who has
Reflexology zones help
relieve pain and
reduce stress.
metatarsalgia [pain in the ball of the foot] when wearing heels can find comfort i n an orthotic designed to wear in heels.”
When choosing a shoe insert, keep an eye
on the bottom line. When British researchers
tested OTC heel inserts of many price points,
the budget-priced ones worked just as well
as their more expensive shelf mates for relieving heel pressure.
References:
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