Minor foot problems can cause amputations for people with diabetes: New booklet offers suggestions for prevention
April 15, 1998 Bethesda, MD -- Sixty-seven thousand people suffer from diabetes-related lower limb amputations each year, costing the health care system $268 million annually. Many of these amputations could be prevented by better control of blood sugar and effective foot care. Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime is a booklet designed to help prevent serious foot problems among people with diabetes. It was developed by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The booklet contains foot care tips for people with diabetes, including a foot care "to do" list, an easy-reference tip sheet, and a list of organizations to contact for additional information. This booklet was developed as a component of Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime a kit for health care providers to help patients prevent serious foot problems.
Diabetes can cause nerve damage and loss of feeling in the feet. With nerve damage, people with diabetes may not feel a blister caused by poorly fitting shoes, or a sore that develops from dry skin, cold feet, or burns. Diabetes delays healing and these seemingly minor foot problems can become ulcers that may ultimately lead to amputation of a toe, foot or leg. In many cases, damage to blood vessels also contributes to amputations.
To reduce the likelihood of a minor foot problem causing major complications, Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime offers people with diabetes tips for protecting their feet:
- Look for cuts, cracks, splinters, blisters and calluses on the feet each day. Call your doctor if such wounds do not heal after one day.
- Bathe feet with warm water and gently rub calluses with a pumice stone.
- Rub lotion or petroleum jelly on the tops and bottoms of the feet, but not between the toes, to prevent cracking and drying.
- Wear warm, soft, dry socks or panty hose and supportive, enclosed shoes that fit your feet properly.
- Good footwear will help protect your feet from extreme temperatures and objects that may hurt your feet.
- Keep your blood sugar level under control by eating healthy foods, staying active, and taking your diabetes medicine.
To order your free copy of Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime, call the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-GET-LEVEL; write Feet Can Last a Lifetime, One Diabetes Way, Bethesda, MD 20892-3600; or visit Foot Care Kit for Diabetes online at the NIDDK website.
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CONTACT: Joanne Gallivan
(301) 496-3583
Page last updated: April 17, 2008
