Tips to Protect Your Feet With Diabetes

Though it might seem strange, your feet are one of the most vulnerable areas of the body when you live with diabetes. Part of managing your symptoms day-to-day is monitoring your foot health. Otherwise, you may find yourself with complications and discomfort you didn’t expect. Use our five tips to protect your feet if you have diabetes so that you can have some peace of mind as you go about your routine.

Mind Your Blood Sugar

For many people living with diabetic symptoms, it’s hard to see the connection between their blood sugar levels and the health and comfort of their feet. But one does impact the other. Fluctuating glucose readings can wreak havoc on high-pressure areas, like the feet, causing nerve damage and making you more susceptible to injury. Because of this, one of the best things you can do to keep your feet protected is to track your blood sugar levels and make the necessary changes to your lifestyle.

Keep Up With Regular Foot Care

It’s also important that you keep up with your regular foot care routine. This includes everything from standard hygiene to keeping the skin sufficiently moisturized. The cleaner and healthier you keep the outside of your feet, the less impact that small injuries will have on your body. Small cuts or sores won’t be as prone to infection, and your skin will bounce back better from a stubbed toe.

Check Your Feet for Injuries Daily

You should also get into the habit of performing daily foot inspections. Since those with diabetes are more susceptible to injuries on the feet, it’s crucial that you’re always on the lookout for them. Even smaller lesions or less painful bumps need treatment because they’re more likely to develop infection and worsen. So take some time each day, whether it’s first thing in the morning or at night, to assess your feet and ensure everything looks alright.

Avoid Exposure to Extreme Temperatures

You’ll want to take care to avoid exposing your feet to extreme temperatures as well. When we draw ourselves a hot bath or take a step out into the snow on a winter day, we’re sending a shock through our nervous system. In diabetics, however, this change might not be immediately noticeable due to sustained nerve damage. So you’ll want to test these things with your hands rather than your feet to help prevent injuries, such as severe burns or frostbite.

Purchase the Right Type of Footwear

The most important tip to protect your feet if you have diabetes is to buy and wear the right type of daily footwear. Because diabetes makes your feet so vulnerable, it’s essential that you have the right amount of support and exterior protection to avoid injury. Specialized diabetic shoes provide this in spades, allowing you to approach your day with confidence and security.

Anodyne’s collection of women’s therapeutic shoes helps keep you comfortable and protected from common diabetic complications. Contact us today to learn about a protective and stylish option you’ll want to wear every day.