High blood glucose from diabetes causes two problems that can hurt the feet:
- Nerve damage. One problem is damage to nerves in the legs and feet. With damaged nerves, your elderly parent might not feel pain, heat, or cold in your legs and feet. A sore or cut on your foot may get worse because you do not know it is there. This lack of feeling is caused by nerve damage, also called diabetic neuropathy. Nerve damage can lead to a sore or an infection.
- Poor blood flow. The second problem happens when not enough blood flows to the legs and feet. Poor blood flow makes it hard for a sore or infection to heal. This problem is called peripheral vascular disease, also called PVD. Smoking when you have diabetes makes blood flow problems much worse.
These two problems can work together to cause a foot problem.
For example, a diabetic gets a blister from shoes that do not fit. He does not feel the pain from the blister because there is nerve damage the foot. The blister gets infected. If blood glucose is high, the extra glucose feeds the germs. Poor blood flow to the legs and feet can slow down healing. If a bad infection never heals, it could cause gangrene, which makes the skin and tissue around the sore die. The area becomes black and smelly. To keep gangrene from spreading, a doctor may have to do surgery to cut off a toe, foot, or part of a leg.
Caring for a Diabetic's Feet
-
Wash the feet in warm water every day. Make sure the water is not too hot by testing the temperature with your elbow. Do not soak feet. Dry the feet well, especially between the toes.
-
Look at the feet every day to check for cuts, sores, blisters, redness, calluses, or other problems. Checking every day is even more important if your elderly parent has nerve damage or poor blood flow.
-
If the skin is dry, rub lotion on after washing and drying them. Do not put lotion between the toes.
-
File corns and calluses gently with an emery board or pumice stone. Do this after a bath or shower.
-
Cut toenails once a week or when needed. Cut toenails when they are soft from washing. Cut them to the shape of the toe and not too short. File the edges with an emery board.
-
Always wear slippers or shoes to protect feet from injuries.
-
Always wear socks or stockings to avoid blisters. Do not wear socks or knee-high stockings that are too tight below the knee.
-
Wear shoes that fit well. Shop for shoes at the end of the day when the feet are bigger. Break in shoes slowly. Wear them 1 to 2 hours each day for the first few weeks.
-
Before putting shoes on, feel the insides to make sure they have no sharp edges or objects that might injure the feet.
-
Keep the blood flowing to feet. Put feet up when your elderly loved is sitting. Have them wiggle their toes for 5 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day. Move the ankles up and down and in and out to improve blood flow in the feet and legs.
-
Don't cross legs for long periods of time.
-
Don't wear tight socks, elastic or rubber bands, or garters around the legs.
-
Don't smoke. Smoking reduces blood flow to the feet.
-
Work with your health care team to control your A1C (blood glucose), blood pressure and cholesterol.