Taking Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime
Taking Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime
Do you want to avoid serious foot problems that can lead to a toe, foot, or leg amputation? Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime tells you how. It's all about taking good care of your feet.
Foot care is very important for people with diabetes who have:
Nerve damage can cause you to lose feeling in your feet. You may not feel a pebble inside your sock that is causing a sore. You may not feel a blister caused by poorly fitting shoes. Foot injuries such as these can cause ulcers which may lead to amputation.
Keeping your blood sugar (glucose) in good control and taking care of your feet every day can help you avoid serious foot problems.
Use this guide to make your own plan for taking care of your feet. Helpful tips make it easy! Share your plan with your doctor and health care team and get their help when you need it.
There is a lot you can do to prevent serious problems with your feet. Here's how.
Make healthy lifestyle choices to help keep your blood sugar close to normal. Keeping your blood sugar under good control may help prevent or delay diabetes-related foot problems as well as eye and kidney disease.
Work with your health care team to make a diabetes plan that fits your lifestyle. The team may include: your doctor, a diabetes educator, a nurse, a dietitian, a foot care doctor called a podiatrist (pah-di'ah-trist), and other specialists. This team will help you to:
Taking Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime
In this article
- You Can Take Care of Your Feet!
- 1. Take Care of Your Diabetes
- 2. Check Your Feet Every Day
- 3. Wash Your Feet Every Day
- 4. Keep the Skin Soft and Smooth
- 5. Smooth Corns and Calluses Gently
- 6. Trim Your Toenails Each Week or When Needed
- 7. Wear Shoes and Socks at All Times
- 8. Protect Your Feet from Hot and Cold
- 9. Keep the Blood Flowing to Your Feet
- 10. Be More Active
- 11. Be Sure to Ask Your Doctor to:
- 12. Get Started Now
- Tips for Proper Footwear
- Ask Your Doctor about Medicare Coverage for Special Footwear.
- To Do List
You Can Take Care of Your Feet!
Do you want to avoid serious foot problems that can lead to a toe, foot, or leg amputation? Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime tells you how. It's all about taking good care of your feet.
Foot care is very important for people with diabetes who have:
- Loss of feeling in their feet.
- Changes in the shape of their feet.
- Foot ulcers or sores that do not heal.
Nerve damage can cause you to lose feeling in your feet. You may not feel a pebble inside your sock that is causing a sore. You may not feel a blister caused by poorly fitting shoes. Foot injuries such as these can cause ulcers which may lead to amputation.
Keeping your blood sugar (glucose) in good control and taking care of your feet every day can help you avoid serious foot problems.
Use this guide to make your own plan for taking care of your feet. Helpful tips make it easy! Share your plan with your doctor and health care team and get their help when you need it.
There is a lot you can do to prevent serious problems with your feet. Here's how.
1. Take Care of Your Diabetes
Make healthy lifestyle choices to help keep your blood sugar close to normal. Keeping your blood sugar under good control may help prevent or delay diabetes-related foot problems as well as eye and kidney disease.
Work with your health care team to make a diabetes plan that fits your lifestyle. The team may include: your doctor, a diabetes educator, a nurse, a dietitian, a foot care doctor called a podiatrist (pah-di'ah-trist), and other specialists. This team will help you to:
- Know how and when to test your blood sugar.
- Take prescribed medicines.
- Eat regular meals that contain a variety of healthy, low-fat, high-fiber foods including fruits and vegetables each day.
- Increase your physical activity each day.
- Follow your foot care plan.
- Keep your doctor's appointments and have your feet, eyes, and kidneys checked at least once a year.
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