Living with diabetes can be relentless. No days off plus a lot to remember. When you have had diabetes for a while, it can be easy to let some of your self-check habits slip, especially if you have not had any problems to date. 

Support can help! Have a good relationship with your health care team. Make time each year for your diabetes annual cycle of care checks and reviews to keep your diabetes management on track and reduce your risk of health problems in the future.  

Your feet are important! You are more likely to develop problems with your feet the longer you have lived with diabetes. Also, raised blood glucose levels can cause damage to the nerves and blood vessels in your feet.  

Let us look at what you can do and what you need to do to keep your feet healthy. If you already have some changes, this information can help slow the progress.  

Begin by visiting the FootForward website. Here you will find loads of information to help you look after your feet. There are easy to read ‘how-to guides’ or short videos on a range of topics such as ‘how to look after your feet’ and ‘visiting the podiatrist’. A great idea is to print them out and stick them to your mirror or somewhere where you can see them every day.  

There is also a quick two-minute quiz you can do to find out your foot health and risk of getting foot problems. It comes with some suggestions on what you need to do. This could be when to have your feet checked and what to tell them when you do. If you need it, there is also a location guide to footcare services that you can search by postcode. This can give you peace of mind that your feet are in good shape, or alert you if there might be something you need to take a closer look at. 

So, what can you do? 

Start by checking your feet every day. You can do this after you have washed, dried and moisturised your feet. Run you hand over the skin on the top and bottom of both feet and your heels. Check for changes in how the skin feels. Is there dryness, hard thick skin, lumps or bumps? Check between your toes. Is the skin dry and intact or wet looking and broken down? And do not forget your toenails! Compare this to other days, are your feet the same or are there any changes? 

Changes you need to have checked by your doctor include: 

• tingling sensation or pins and needles (like numbness) 
• pain (burning) 
• a dull ache 
• shiny, smooth skin on your feet 
• hair loss on your legs and feet 
• loss of feeling in your feet or legs 
• swollen feet 
• your feet don’t sweat 
• wounds or sores that don’t heal 
• cramp in your calves when resting or walking. 

Changes that cannot wait, that you need to have checked by your doctor or local foot team urgently include: 

• changes in the colour and shape of your feet  
• cold or hot feet 
• blisters and cuts that you can see but don’t feel 
• foul smell coming from an open wound. 

A quick daily foot check need only take a minute or two and can go a long way to preventing serious issues from developing. It is easy for small changes like blisters or cuts to go unnoticed or ignored. But they can become serious problems very quickly. It is an important step in giving your feet the attention they deserve, every day. 

Next, what do you need to do? 

If you notice any changes, do something straight away. Talk to your doctor who can treat the problem or refer you to find out the cause. 

Otherwise, make a time with you doctor for your diabetes annual cycle of care checks. Your doctor can check your feet or refer you to a podiatrist for an assessment. Ask about the health of your feet and if there anything else you can do to keep them healthy.  

 As a diabetes educator, I have six steps I recommend to people living with diabetes: 

1. Remember to clean, dry, and moisturise your feet every day 

2. Keep your toenails trimmed using the right tools for the job 

3. Look at your feet every day for changes 

4. Protect your feet from injury by wearing shoes and socks that are the right fit, and offer protection from injuries 

5. Look after your diabetes, including not smoking or vaping 

6. These daily foot checks, along with attending for an annual foot care check with your doctor, practice nurse, credentialled diabetes educator or podiatrist  

Think of it as giving your feet some love! 

By Tonya Stock and Angela Blair RN CDE