Facts on Foot Ulcers

Foot ulcers commonly occur on the ball of the foot or the bottom of the big toe. If one experiences ulcers on the sides of the foot, replace shoes as they may not be fitting properly.

Don’t mistake a blister for a foot ulcer. A foot ulcer is an open would whereas a blister is a small pocket of fluid underneath the skin. Foot ulcers affect the foot’s surface and can lead to serious wounds, infections, and possible amputation. It is estimated that 15% of diabetics will experience a foot ulcer at some point in their lives.

Treatment of Foot Ulcers:

• X-Rays of the foot check to make sure there is no infection of the bone
• Podiatrists clean out dead or infected tissue
• Cultures are taken of the tissue to determine type of infection and proper antibiotics

Take Care of the Foot Ulcer:

• Put feet up! Walking makes the ulcer larger, harder to heal, and forces the infection deeper into the foot.
• Protect the foot by special shoes, a brace, or cast.
• Inspect foot daily for any changes.
• Clean feet and legs daily.

Healed Ulcers:

• Keep checking feet daily for any changes.
• Scar tissue that may have formed under the foot ulcer will break down over time.
• Special shoes help to protect and prevent the ulcer from returning.

At Home Care for Diabetes

Medical check-ups by family physicians and podiatrists are essential for people living with diabetes, but at home care is just as important to the long term care of the disease. Follow these tips for healthy living with the disease.

Daily Food Examinations. Inspect feet daily to look for any changes in the size, color, or feeling. If changes occur, make an appointment with a medical professional for early detection and treatment. Wash feet daily and moisturize the skin. Proper hygiene is essential to maintaining a healthy foot.

Remove Clutter in the house. Opening up pathways in the house help to reduce the chance of tripping or bumping one’s feet. Remove any obstacles that may be in the way. Keep the inside and outside of the house illuminated.

Trimming Toenails at Home. Cut toenails straight across using toenail clippers. Do not round the toenail. One of the unfortunate side effects of diabetes is poor eyesight. If one cannot trim their own nails, make an appointment with a podiatrist or have a family member clip the toenails.

Socks and Shoes. I can’t stress enough the importance of proper footwear. Diabetes patients should wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. High heels should be avoided. Sometime it is necessary to have orthotics, depending on the foot structure. Socks should be made of breathable cotton.

Exercise. First, consult with your doctor prior to starting any exercise program. Exercise has many benefits to controlling diabetes; it improves circulation, stabilized blood sugar levels, and improves bone and joint health.

Smoking. Cut down and try to quit smoking any form of tobacco because it accelerates damage to the blood vessels causing poor circulation. Poor circulation is a major risk factor for foot infections and amputations.

Warning Signs of Diabetes

According the CDC, Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States, and we all need to keep in mind the warning signs of this deadly disease. If you notice any of these warning signs put together by the American Podiatric Medical Association, please make an appointment right away to discuss treatment options.


“Diabetes Warning Signs:

• Skin color changes
• Swelling of the foot or ankle
• Numbness in the feet or toes
• Pain in the legs
• Open sores on the feet that are slow to heal
• Ingrown and fungal toenails
• Bleeding corns and calluses
• Dry cracks in the skin, especially around the heel”

Diabetes patients are instructed to inspect feet daily for any changes that may appear. Proper footwear is also important to staying mobile. Get fitted and measured for shoes as feet change over time. Don’t forget about socks. Soft socks with no seams are advised and diabetics should NEVER walk around barefoot. As much as I talk about proper footwear, exercise should be in every diabetic’s lifestyle as it increases circulation and helps one to lose weight.


Citation:
American Podiatric Medical Association. (2011). Diabetes. Retrieved from http://www.apma.org/MainMenu/Foot-Health/Brochures/Diabetes.aspx

November is Diabetes Awareness Month!

Diabetes is the 7th leading killer in the United States. 
To put it into perspective, there are currently 25.8 million people living with diabetes. That correlates to more than 8% of the total population of the United States. Of the 25.8 million people, only 18.8 million people are diagnosed, whereas 7 million people are undiagnosed. The most staggering figure is that 79 million people are pre-diabetics! No wonder the entire month of November is dedicated to diabetes awareness.

The pre-diabetes statistic is very alarming considering the complications to the lower extremities are dangerous. Common foot complications are:

• Numbing or loss of feeling in your feet
• Non-healing Foot ulcers or sores
• Foot or leg Amputation

As a physician, it can't be stressed enough the importance of proper diet, exercise, and medical attention. Maintain regular yearly check ups to one’s family physician and podiatrist. Podiatrists team up with family physicians to effectively manage the effects of diabetes on the foot.

Test your knowledge by answering 10 quick questions:

 Knock Your Socks Off! Diabetes Awareness Quiz (You even get a certificate at the end.) 


 How will you play your part in creating Diabetes Awareness?


Citation:
American Podiatric Medical Association. (2011). Diabetes by the Numbers. Retrieved from http://www.apma.org/DiabetesNumbers 

How Feet Grow

If you’ve ever wondered how feet grow, here’s your answer. 

The feet have growth plates on the long bones and are areas of growing tissue. Each long bone has 2 growth plates, one on either side, which enable the bone to grow. When a person is done growing, the growth plates close and are replaced by solid bone.

As you may be able to imagine, growth plates are weak and when the plates are injured, it’s called a fracture.

Fracturing a growth plate can happen when a child falls or from overuse of the feet and ankles in sports. Besides those normal situations that every child may face, growth plate injuries can occur from child abuse, bone infections, metabolic diseases, and some steroid medications.

Growth plate injuries need to be taken seriously and children should never work through the pain. Take a child to see a Podiatrist if the child experiences pain or can’t move their foot. An X-Ray will determine what type of fracture has occurred. If it is a growth plate facture, a cast or splint is a normal course of treatment, but there are occasions when surgery is needed. Those that have had growth plate fractures in the past should periodically exercise the foot and ankle and follow up with their Podiatrist regularly to make sure it healed properly. If a growth plate is fractured and not taken care of, it can result in the growth plate to stop growing with an end result of two different sized feet.

Image Citation:

Image by aussiegall. Flickr. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/364313299/