At-Home Foot Care Tips and Tricks: Action Steps for People Living with Diabetes

- Inspect your feet and toes for any cuts, bruises, or sores daily. Use a mirror for hard-to-see edges and bottoms.
- How quickly do your nails grow? If you are unable to cut your nails regularly on your own, book an appointment with your LMC Chiropodists for routine foot care.
- Moisturize with urea-based creams daily on the tops and bottoms of your feet – concentrating on the heels and drier areas. Do not apply creams in between the toes as the added moisture feeds bacteria growth. Pay attention to any changes in odour, colour or thickness of your toenails, and thoroughly dry your toes after getting the feet wet.

- Avoid socks with seams as the rubbing friction can make the skin more fragile, or introduce blisters
- White socks can help you identify changes in hard-to-see areas than dark-coloured socks. Turn your socks inside-out and make note of any discolouration from cuts and lesions.

- Try on shoes near the end of the day to ensure that the shoes will fit your feet when they are most swollen after a day of activities.
- Finding a shoe with a removable insole is recommended in determining an accurate fit. Place the removed insole on the floor and step your full weight onto the insole, lining it up with the heel.
  - Width: If any part of the foot spills over the edge of the insole, that shoe is not wide enough to accommodate the width of the measured foot.
  - Length: Determine which toe is the longest of the measured foot. Ensure there is at least one thumb’s width of space between that toe and the front edge of the insole.

- Short daily walks help improve circulation – promoting tissue healing and growth.
- Foot strengthening exercises help to improve stability and mobility.
- Correct ankle alignment may help to relieve some knee, hip, and back pains. Ask your Chiropodist if individualized medical corrective devices are suitable for you.