Having diabetes is not inherently going to cause serious foot complications like amputations or ulcers, however, diabetic foot care is still hugely important. By getting educated, changing some basic things and having a little knowledge, you can do a range of positive things to avoid the worse case scenario.

1. Look after your body

Being an active participant in the management of your diabetes alongside your GP is crucial. Seek out assistance and educate yourself on all you need to know about the management of diabetes. Having a healthy and balanced diet and engaging in exercise is always the staple of diabetes management.

2. Stop smoking

It’s standard knowledge that smoking is bad for your cardiovascular health. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and you continue to smoke, you inevitably will make your body even more vulnerable to blockages in your cardiovascular system and you will increase the likelihood of blockages in the arteries that carry blood to your legs and feet. If this does occur you will need to have stents or bypasses to restore blood flow.

3. Avoid self-treatment

Self-treatment is not a part of diabetic foot care. Don’t be tempted to self-treat foot injuries such as corns or ingrown toenails. We have seen countless people self-treat these issues, however, it doesn’t take much for a well-intentioned fix to be ultimately risky and lead to infection or skin breakdowns. In light of this, we recommend you ensure you have these issues seen to by your podiatrist using the proper techniques and sterile instruments.

4. See your podiatrist annually for a diabetic foot complications check

As part of your annual check-up, your doctor will probably advise you visit a podiatrist for a review of complication. Visiting annually and not just when there is a problem means that we can preempt and protect you from looming problems. In this visit, your podiatrist should additionally check for any functional complications with the way your foot works. In some cases, your GP may be able to give you a referral so that you can claim these visits through medicare.