What do you know about Diabetes Related Foot Problems?

1. True or False? For people with diabetes, having too much glucose (sugar) in their blood for a long time can cause some serious complications, including foot problems.

Diabetes can cause two problems that can affect your feet. Diabetic neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease.

2. What is diabetic neuropathy?

A. Nerve damage

B. Poor blood flow

3. What problems does neuropathy pose?

A. Not being able to feel heat or cold

B. Not being able to feel a cut or sore on your foot, causing it to get infected

C. Muscles of the foot may not function properly

D. All of the above

4. What is peripheral vascular disease?

A. Nerve damage

B. Poor blood flow

5. What problem does peripheral vascular disease pose?

A. It takes longer for a sore or cut to heal

B. It creates too much pressure in one area of the foot

C. It causes to foot to not align properly

Foot ulcers occur because of neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease.

6. It is estimated that what percentage of people with diabetes will develop foot ulcers?

A. 10%

B. 25%

C. 30%

For those with diabetes, it is important to check feet daily to avoid infections. Getting infections treated properly early on can help to avoid them becoming a bigger issue, such as ulcers or gangrene (when body tissue dies).  If you experience any lower extremity pain or notice any open sores, see a physician right away. 

Check out the answers to the quiz in the comments below.

Image by Charli Lopez. Feet. (2011). Flickr.

Clubfoot

Clubfoot is a term used for any of the following unusual characteristics:

• The foot is smaller than normal.
• The foot points downward.
• The front of the foot is rotated toward the other foot.
• The foot is turned in.
• The bottom of the foot is pointed up.

A number of these characteristics may be present, and can vary from mild to severe.

Causes of Clubfoot

• Clubfoot can be present at birth and can be due to the position of the baby inside the mother’s womb.
• Clubfoot can also be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Treatment of Clubfoot

Clubfoot will not straighten itself out. It should be treated right away to avoid further problems down the road. Most commonly, clubfoot is treated with casts or splints positioned to move the foot closer to a normal position.

Image by Qi Wei Fong. Baby Feet. (2009). Flickr.

Sesamoiditis

Sesamoids are bones that are connected only to tendons or embedded in muscle. The foot houses two of these pea-shaped bones in the ball of the foot, just beneath the big toe. The sesamoids in the foot assist with weight-bearing. Sesamoids can fracture, or the tendons around the big toe can get irritated or inflamed, which is called sesamoiditis. Sesamoiditis is a form of tendinitis. It is most common among athletes and dancers.

The most common symptom is pain on the ball of the foot, just under the big toe. Pain may develop gradually, and may be more prominent when bending the big toe. Swelling and bruising can be present, and there may be some tenderness in the surrounding tissue.

Sesamoiditis is most common among athletes and dancers due to repeated stress on the area or trauma to the sesamoid bones. It can also come about from osteoarthritis or osteoporosis. High heels can also be a culprit.

To treat sesamoiditis, rest and ice the area and were comfortable shoes. If you are having persistent pain, visit a podiatrist for further treatment. Steroid injections may be helpful in some cases.

Image by Ale Art. Feet. (2013). Flickr.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

The skin on your foot is red and tender after coming into contact with something, you could have an allergy. Your immune system thinks your body is under attack, so it releases chemicals, including histamine. This is what causes an allergic reaction - i.e. an itchy rash.

Some common triggers for contact dermatitis on your feet include:

• Leather or latex rubber on your shoes
• Poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac
• Fragrances in soaps or lotions

Some symptoms for contact dermatitis include:

• Raised red rash
• Itchy, burning skin
• Blistering of the skin

If you can narrow down what your skin had a reaction to, try not to come into contact with that material again. If your rash is not clearing up after a couple days, your doctor may prescribe steroid pills or ointment or an antihistamine. 

Image by Holly Lay. Day035. (2012). Flickr.