It is important for everybody to wear their exact shoe size instead of ill-fitting foot wear and suffer from painful arch or blisters on heel. However, for people suffering from diabetics, this can be a critical issue as an ill-fitting shoe can trigger much severe problems for them. These include severe foot infections, ulcers and even amputation, if proper care is not given.
Since the feet of diabetic people are vulnerable they tend to have nerve damage due to poorly controlled sugar levels in blood. Due to this reason diabetics patients need to be extra cautious when it comes to choosing the right foot wear.
Reasons for Foot Troubles in Diabetic
Many people with diabetes complain about a tingling funny feeling in their feet. This is due to the nerve damage which reduces the foot’s pain sensibility. Such patients can hurt their foot or nails badly without experiencing any kind of pain.
Apart from the lack of pain sensation, diabetes also reduces the flow of blood in the body due to the thinning of blood vessels with high blood sugar. This makes healing of any wounds very slow in your body. Besides, if your shoes are causing discomfort or blisters in your foot, that aggravates the situation even more and could lead to further complications.
How to Choose Shoes for Diabetes?
- Wise selection of Shoes
Diabetic people with good sugar levels in blood can go for normal foot wear like others. Even diabetic women with healthy foot can enjoy high heels as well, provided they have good blood sugar levels. However diabetic patients with impaired sensation need to avoid high heels completely. Besides, people with diabetes need to avoid using flip-flops as they expose your toes and are not supportive enough to give comfort while walking.
- Opt for Diabetic Shoes
If you are experiencing impaired sensation, foot deformities or poor blood circulation issues, it is wise to choose diabetic shoes, which are designed specifically for such people. These shoes are usually designed with soft leather and have deep and round toe box which can handle issues like bunions and hammertoes. In case of worst situations like bad ulcerations or crucial deformities, you may need to opt for therapeutic shoes for diabetic patients. It is important for such patients to use only the medical shoes in order to protect their feet.
In order to improve the foot health of diabetic patients, it is significant to follow certain guidelines. These include choosing shoes made of soft and stretchable leather and opting for laced shoes with cushioned sole. It is also important to try the shoes in later half of the day as your feet tend to swell. You also need to gradually increase the time duration of using the shoe, to find out any irritation or other issues related to it. It is also significant to replace your old shoe once you find it is torn or collapsed on one side.
