Prescription Footwear - Not Your Grandma's Shoes

Footwear is nothing to take lightly for diabetics. With 15.7 million people in the United States living with diabetes, proper footwear can be a major factor in keeping the person mobile. Diabetes affects the feet by lose of feeling because blood flow becomes restricted. The impact of diabetes on the lower extremities is profound. Each year, 65,000 limbs are amputated and within three to five years, the risk of another amputation increases to 50%.

Keep moving to keep circulation and blood flowing to the lower limbs to avoid amputation and other complications. Prescription footwear can accommodate, stabilize, and support deformities of the foot. They can also limit the motion of joints in order to decrease inflammation and provide much needed stability. Prescription footwear can also reduce shock and pressure. Pressure can cause ulcers and wounds that may be difficult to treat and close. Open wounds have complication all of their own. But don’t worry; prescription shoes come in many different forms, and can be just as stylish as shoes bought at a department store. Just because one has diabetes doesn’t mean that they have to give up fashionable footwear.

Prescription footwear come in these types:

• “Custom-made shoes. When extremely severe deformities are present, a custom-made shoe can be constructed from a cast or model of the patient's foot. With extensive modifications of in-depth shoes, even the most severe deformities can usually be accommodated.

• External shoe modifications. In these cases, the outside of the shoe is modified in some way, such as adjusting the shape of the sole or adding shock-absorbing or stabilizing materials.

• Healing shoes. Immediately following surgery or ulcer treatment, special shoes may be necessary before a regular shoe can be worn. These include custom sandals (open toe), heat-moldable healing shoes (closed toe), and post-operative shoes.

• In-depth shoes. An in-depth shoe is the basis for most footwear prescriptions. It is generally an oxford-type or athletic shoe with an additional 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch of depth throughout the shoe. This extra volume accommodates inserts, or orthotics, as well as deformities commonly associated with a diabetic foot. In-depth shoes are usually designed to be light in weight, have shock-absorbing soles, and come in a wide range of shapes and sizes to accommodate virtually any foot.

• Orthoses or shoe inserts. Also known as orthotics, an orthosis is a removable insole which provides pressure relief and shock absorption. Both pre-made and custom-made orthotics or shoe inserts are commonly recommended for patients with diabetes, including a special total contact orthosis, which is made from a model of the patient's foot and offers a high level of comfort and pressure relief.”

Citation:
Vittori Foot and Ankle Specialist. (2012). Corrective and prescription shoes. Retrieved from http://www.vittorifootclinic.com/library/1793/CorrectiveandPrescriptionShoes.html

Image by Ephemeral Scraps. (2012). Corrective orthopedic shoe. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/biomedical_scraps/6832476313/