Diabetes, your feet and the podiatrist in Covid-19

Do you know your foot health risk status? Have you had your feet thoroughly examined by a podiatrist?  Experts Worldwide in their guidelines for the management of diabetes recommend an annual foot examination at the very least. This foot examination establishes the risk for complications or your Foot Health Risk Status. If you are aware of this, so many foot problems associated with Diabetes could be prevented.

These foot complications can be as simple as a painful corn or as complicated as an amputation. Of course if you have reduced sensation – peripheral neuropathy – there won’t be much pain and probably non at all.

As a podiatrist I would like to be celebrating an improvement in the foot health of South Africans, but unfortunately many people with diabetes have never seen a podiatrist, mistakenly believing that since they have no visible foot problems everything is fine.

Diabetes causes changes to the circulation and nerves to the legs and feet which often develop slowly and almost without notice.  I have heard people say that they have the less serious diabetes “the second type.” Comments like this make me realise that the Foot Health message is still not reaching our patients clearly.

Managing diabetes is a team effort and the podiatrist is a member of the team. If you neglect your feet and have no idea if they are showing the effects of diabetes, you are probably going to develop, corns, callus, blisters, ulcers and worse. Do you know the quality of your circulation? Are you sure you can feel everything with your nerves?

Why not commit to better foot health today by making an appointment with a podiatrist for a diabetic foot assessment?