Good diabetic foot care includes yearly visits to your Great Lakes Foot and Ankle Institute podiatrist. Your podiatrist performs a thorough evaluation and monitors any ongoing issues with your feet and ankles.

Schedule an additional urgent care appointment if you start experiencing problems like swelling, bruising or other discoloration, foot pain, or slow-healing wounds on your feet.

Your podiatrist may recommend several home care tips such as:

• Inspecting your feet daily for injuries, cuts, or sores
• Keeping your toenails closely clipped, straight-across (not curved)
• Wearing absorbent socks at all times
• Wearing supportive shoes
• Exercising regularly
• Washing your feet every day, and drying them completely

Your podiatrist may have additional tips to help you enjoy optimal foot health in spite of your diabetes. Of course, it’s also crucial that you see your primary care doctor on the established schedule to make sure your diabetes is properly managed through lifestyle, medication, or supplemental insulin.

In many cases, you don’t need surgery. Your podiatrist can often treat problems like diabetic foot ulcers very effectively with topical ointments or creams, bandaging, oral medication, and other solutions. You may also need orthotics to help you relieve pressure on the ulcer.

If you have severe diabetic foot disease, you may need surgery to remove dead skin, or to shave the bone surrounding your ulcer. Surgery can also correct co-existing issues that make the diabetic foot problems worse, such as hammertoes or bunions, for example.

Great Lakes Foot and Ankle Institute is proud to specialize in Charcot reconstruction.

Use the online scheduling tool or call now to book your appointment at the Great Lakes Foot and Ankle Institute location nearest you.