How to keep feet healthy?

What can I do to keep my feet healthy?

Work with your health care team to create a diabetes personal care plan, which consists of an action plan on how to control diabetes. The plan must include foot care. A podiatrist (foot doctor) and other specialists can be part of your health care team.

Include these steps in your foot care plan:

Suggestions for foot care
Check your feet every day.
Wash your feet every day.
Gently clean calluses and calluses.
Cut your toenails straight.
Always wear shoes and socks.
Protect your feet from heat and cold.
Help maintain blood flow in the feet.
Ask to have your feet checked at each medical visit.

Check your feet every day

You may have foot problems and feel no pain. Checking your feet every day will help you find problems at an early stage before the problems get worse. A good way to remember is to check your feet every night when you take off your shoes. Also check the area between the toes. If it is hard for you to bend over to see your feet, try using a mirror or ask someone to check them.

Watch for problems like:

cuts, sores or red spots
swelling or blisters with fluid
ingrown toenails, when the edges of the nails grow buried in the skin
corns and calluses, which are circular lesions of hardened skin caused by much rubbing or a lot of pressure in the same place
plantar warts, which are flesh-colored growths on the soles of the feet
athlete's foot
hot areas on the feet

If you have certain foot problems that increase the likelihood of developing foot sores, your doctor may recommend that you take your skin temperature in different parts of your feet. A "hot area" may be the first sign that a blister or ulcer is beginning to develop.

Cover blisters, cuts or sores with a bandage. Limit corns and calluses as explained below.

Wash your feet every day

Wash your feet with warm (not hot) water and soap. Feel the water temperature to make sure it is not very hot. You can use your elbow or a thermometer (between 90 ° and 95 ° F or between 32 ° and 35 ° C is a safe temperature) to feel the water temperature. Do not let your feet soak because your skin will dry out.

The foot and hands of a person who examines the toes.
After washing and drying your feet, put talcum powder or cornstarch between your toes. The skin between the toes tends to retain moisture. The powder will keep the skin dry, which will help prevent infection.

Gently clean calluses and calluses
Thick layers of skin known as corns or calluses may appear on the feet. If you have them, talk to your podiatrist about the best way to take care of these foot problems. If you have nerve damage, these layers can become ulcers.

A woman files her sole with a pumice stone.
If the doctor tells you to, use a pumice stone to clean your corns and calluses after bathing or showering. Pumice is a type of rock that is used to skin the skin. Rub it gently, in only one direction, to avoid breaking the skin.