Diabetic Footwear and Custom Orthotics for Healthier Feet

Diabetic Footwear: Safeguarding Your Feet When You Live With Diabetes

When you or someone you care for has diabetes, foot health calls for real attention. Feet impacted by diabetes carry a far greater risk of amputation, which is exactly why the right footwear and consistent daily care are so important.

What Diabetes Is

Diabetes is a serious condition that develops when the body makes too little insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it does produce. Insulin, which the pancreas produces, helps turn the food we eat into energy the body can use. About 16 million Americans are affected, and the disease comes in two forms: Type 1, often tied to heredity and usually appearing in youth, and Type 2, known as adult-onset diabetes, which involves high blood sugar and is often seen in people who are overweight or whose diet needs improvement.

How Diabetes Affects the Feet

Diabetes can disturb the vascular system and take a toll on the eyes, kidneys, legs, and feet. For that reason, people with diabetes should keep a close watch on their feet.

Neuropathy

Roughly 25% of Americans with diabetes will develop foot problems related to the disease, driven by a combination of poor circulation and neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy can lessen or remove the ability to sense pain, heat, and cold. Small cuts, scrapes, blisters, or pressure sores may go unnoticed, and if they are not treated they can progress to ulcers and even amputation. Neuropathy can also lead to deformities such as bunions, hammer toes, and Charcot feet. Checking your feet every day is essential, and preventive footcare steps reduce the risk of serious conditions.

Poor Circulation

Diabetes frequently comes with peripheral vascular disease, which narrows the arteries and cuts circulation to the lower legs and feet. With less oxygen and nutrition reaching the skin and tissue, injuries heal slowly. Circulation problems can also lead to swelling and dryness. Since healing is compromised, prevention matters even more for diabetic patients, because poor circulation can result in ulcers, infection, and other serious foot conditions.

Treatment and Prevention Through Footwear

Footwear and orthotics play a central role in diabetic footcare. Orthotics made with Plastazote foam, widely considered the best material for protecting the insensitive diabetic foot, are commonly recommended. Plastazote molds to heat and pressure to cushion pressure "hot spots," providing comfort and protection tailored to the foot. Footwear built with Plastazote is also frequently recommended for diabetic patients.

Diabetic footwear should also include these protective features:

• A tall, wide toe box that leaves plenty of room in the toe area
• Removable insoles for fitting flexibility and the option to add orthotics
• Rocker soles that relieve pressure where the foot is most pain-prone, especially the ball of the foot
• Firm heel counters for support and stability

Everyday Footcare for Diabetes

If you have diabetes, stay watchful for any foot problems. People with neuropathy should take extra care to prevent injury and keep their feet healthy. If a foot problem does come up, see your foot doctor promptly.

Good footcare matters especially because diabetics are prone to issues such as:

• Loss of feeling in the feet
• Changes in foot shape
• Foot ulcers or sores that do not heal

Simple daily care can head off serious problems. According to the National Institute of Health, these everyday steps help prevent serious diabetes complications:

Manage Your Diabetes

Make healthy lifestyle choices to keep blood sugar close to normal, and work with your health care team on a diabetes plan that fits your lifestyle.

Inspect Your Feet Daily

Look for cuts, sores, red spots, swelling, or infected toenails, and make it part of your routine. If bending to see your feet is hard, use a plastic mirror or ask a family member for help. Call your doctor right away if a cut, sore, blister, or bruise has not healed after one day.

Wash Your Feet Every Day

Wash in warm, not hot, water and skip soaking, which dries out the skin. Check the water temperature with a thermometer or your elbow before bathing. Dry thoroughly, including between the toes, and use talcum powder there to keep the skin dry.

Keep Skin Soft and Smooth

Apply a thin layer of lotion or cream to the tops and bottoms of the feet, but not between the toes, where it could lead to infection.

Wear Shoes and Socks at All Times

Never go barefoot, even indoors, since it is easy to step on something and injure your feet. Wear seamless socks, stockings, or nylons with shoes to help prevent blisters and sores, and choose moisture-wicking, shock-absorbing seamless socks to keep feet dry. Check inside shoes before putting them on to make sure the lining is smooth and there are no foreign objects such as pebbles. Wear well-fitting shoes that protect your feet.

Protect Feet From Heat and Cold

Wear shoes at the beach or on hot pavement, and apply sunscreen to the tops of your feet. Keep feet away from radiators or open fires, and do not use hot water bottles or heating pads. If feet are cold, wear seamless socks at night; lined boots help in winter. Avoid socks with seams or bumpy areas, and choose padded socks for protection and comfort. In cold weather, check your feet often to stay warm and avoid frostbite.

Keep Blood Flowing to Your Feet

Elevate your feet when you sit. Wiggle your toes for five minutes, two or three times a day, and move your ankles up and down and in and out to improve circulation. Do not cross your legs for long periods. Avoid tight socks, elastic, rubber bands, or garters around the legs, and skip restrictive footwear or foot products that can cut off circulation. Do not smoke, since smoking reduces blood flow to the feet. If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, work with your health care team.

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