Foot care is especially important for people with diabetes. Three major changes to the legs and feet can occur:

• Nerve damage from diabetes causing loss of feeling in the feet. This tends to start in the toes.
• Blood vessel damage from diabetes resulting in poor circulation to the feet. The poor circulation causes slow healing.
• Increased risk of infection from skin injuries.

The most common serious manifestation of these diabetes related problems is a foot ulcer. Diabetic foot ulcers, especially if the wound and the disease of diabetes is managed poorly, are associated with a much higher risk of amputation and death.

A standard podiatry consultation for those who have diabetes will usually include general foot and nail care, corn removal and callus debridement. We pay particular attention to pressure and friction management on bony areas such as on the toes and the ball of the foot. Footwear is checked to be of appropriate fit and style to avoid rubbing and pressure against such bony areas.

Diabetic foot assessment

A diabetic foot assessment involves preventative screening and education designed to reduce the risk of developing a foot ulcer or other serious foot problem. It includes thorough sensation and circulation testing as well as plantar pressure analysis, diabetes education and footwear advice.

The assessment helps to determine the amount of ongoing podiatry recommended. A diabetic foot assessment incorporating monofilament testing, vibration perception and doppler screening is performed annually in most cases.

Foot ulcerations

We do everything we can to care for the feet to prevent diabetic foot ulceration. Nevertheless clients occasionally attend with foot ulcers. With over a decade’s experience treating foot ulcers we have the dressing and wound care strategies in place to deal with all but the worst of foot ulcers. Care of a diabetic foot ulcer is not just simply flushing a wound and changing a dressing. Treating a diabetic foot ulcer requires pressure and friction reduction techniques that a podiatrist can utilise that others may not have the experience and tools at hand to do quite as well.

If a high risk ulcer is beyond our capacity to care for effectively or it requires extremely frequent care which may not be cost-effective for the patient there are referral options available.