Over a long period of time high blood glucose levels can cause damage to your feet and legs. Damage to the nerves is the most likely thing to affect your feet if you have diabetes.
Nerve Damage
This can include:
- Loss of sensation affecting the ability to feel pain or temperature. You may not know when there is an increase in pressure and as result callus builds up. Scalding can occur because the perception of temperature is reduced. Numbness and pins and needles are indications that these changes may be occurring.
- Nerves which control movement affect the joints and muscles changing the shape of your feet. This can result in high pressures on some of the joints of the foot.
- Nerves which control automatic functions such as sweating causing your feet to be very dry, cracked and sore.
Damage to circulation
High blood glucose can also damage the circulation. The skin can be hot to touch and appear red. Changes in the blood supply to the skin can result in wounds taking a long time to heal.
Assessment
Regular checks by a podiatrist can help prevent more serious problems such as foot ulcers developing which may be hard to heal.
Podiatrists at Orthotika will:
Assess whether any of the above changes have taken place.
Advise you on how to care for your feet.
Help you with nail cutting and the removal of callus if this is a problem.
Advise on footwear and hosiery.
Provide suitable orthotics if required (insoles).
Click Here to download Orthotika’s information sheet on Diabetic Assessment.