The Simple 3 Step daily Foot check

for everyone with diabetes

STEP 1 – Check both of your feet, top and bottom every day. To do this either sit on a chair or the side of the bed and lift up each foot one at a time. If you struggle to do this easily then use a Solesee Foot Inspection Mirror.

Take a few minutes to check the soles and heels of each foot, paying particular attention to the back of the heel and between the toes.

Check for:

- Blisters, cuts or cracks/breaks in the skin

- Hard skin and callus build up. Identify where these are on your feet so that you can keep a close eye on those areas. Sometimes infections can develop behind a callus or area of hard dry skin. These tends to occur on the balls of the foot or the heels, as well as where bones stick out so potentially bunion joints or hammer toes.

- Colour, temperature or shape change of the foot. This could indicate an infection is already present.

STEP 2 – wash your feet in warm soapy water and then pat dry rather than rubbing. Dry carefully between the toes.

STEP 3 – Apply a moisturiser specifically developed for use for diabetic foot conditions and never apply between the toes. Moisturising the feet will keep the skin moist and supple reducing the chances of infection. Cracks and breaks in the skin are much more susceptible to infection.

If you notice a change, then please get in touch with your Podiatrist or Diabetes Nurse or GP surgery straight away.

Please don't be afraid to contact your health professional if you have a problem. They really do want to hear from you. It is better to give you advice now on how to deal with the problem to try and stop it from getting any worse, than waiting until this is all over as it could be too late then.

Remember with diabetes, any damage to your foot can quickly escalate from a cut to an ulcer and then to an infected ulcer, if not dealt with quickly. This is because if there is blood vessel damage, there is reduced blood flow to your foot meaning wounds take longer to heal, if at all.

CHECKING YOUR FEET DAILY WILL HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF PROBLEMS OCCURRING.

Previous blogs to read about diabetes and foot health are:-

How to protect the health of your feet during the Covid-19 pandemic, if you have diabetes AND

Amputation and Diabetes – what you need to know