By Heather Leeb, DPM, FACPM, AACFAS, DABPM
Diabetes can affect us head to toe.
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, it is recommended that you have a complete diabetic foot evaluation performed by a podiatrist at least once a year. Often, the recommended evaluation frequency is quarterly.
Why should you have your feet examined? Well, diabetes can affect your whole body, including the nerves, blood vessels, muscles, bones and even sweat glands in the feet! With so many moving parts in our feet that keep the rest of our body moving, it is vital to check your feet for any impacts of diabetes. Prevention is key!
A podiatrist can evaluate the circulation in your feet to make sure any sores or injuries can heal properly. A podiatrist can check the sensation in your feet and teach you how to perform a daily foot check at home to detect problems early.
Diabetic complications can also make trimming your own nails risky, so it is best to see a podiatrist for nail care. This can help to avoid ingrown nails, infections, and evaluate and treat any signs of nail fungus.
A podiatrist can also evaluate your feet for specialized diabetic shoes and insoles to keep the muscles, tendons and joints healthy and to prevent pressure points that can predispose to callus and blister formation.
Bottom line: get a step ahead of diabetes and keep your feet healthy by scheduling a diabetic foot exam with one of our expert podiatrists at Advanced Foot Care.
