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The Importance of Consistent Diabetic Foot Care

Diabetes runs in my family. Maybe that is why I have taken a particular interest in diabetic foot care, because for me it is personal.

If you are diabetic and reading this article in one of our offices, kudos to you for making regular visits to a podiatrist part of your diabetes management plan. But please keep reading - there is much you can do to help yourself and others with diabetic foot care.

Anyone with diabetes, regardless of whether they are experiencing any foot problems at the time, should receive an annual foot exam to help identify any potential changes in the condition of their foot. But they should be looking at their feet - or asking a caregiver or loved one to look at their feet - on a daily basis to be alerted to any injury or change in condition that would require a call or visit to the podiatrist. Remember that with diabetes comes a possible decrease in circulation in your feet and possible nerve damage, resulting in a loss of sensation in the feet. This sensation would normally serve as the body’s warning if an injury or ulcer were to develop.

If you know someone who is diabetic that has not had a foot exam in the last year, please encourage him or her to call our office and schedule an appointment. Share with them the knowledge that annual foot exams should be an integral part of their diabetes management plan, and that their podiatrist should be a valuable member of their health care team.

Thank you for trusting your foot and ankle care to Community Foot Specialists.
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