The Difference Diabetic Shoes Can Make for You

Diabetes affects many of your body systems including your immune, nervous and circulatory systems. It is also extremely common, with over 29 million people in the United States suffering from it according to the American Diabetes Association. Your entire body is affected, including your feet. You need to take proper care of these important appendages to prevent painful debilitating foot injuries like diabetic ulcers. Dr. Marshall Lukoff at Foot Care Specialists, in Quincy, Massachusetts, wants you to know how picking the right shoes can make all the difference in your feet and your life.

If you have diabetes, Dr. Lukoff wants you to know what to look for in a good pair of shoes. You should wear shoes that:

• Support and provide enough room for deformities such as hammertoes and amputations; your shoes should stabilize the deformity to relieve pain and prevent additional damage.
• Limit joint motion to relieve pain, decrease inflammation and create stability in your feet
• Limit shock and pressure to your feet, especially the bottoms of your feet
• Relieve pressure or friction to prevent diabetic ulcers

Dr. Lukoff in Quincy can prescribe a variety of footwear options to protect and relieve your feet from painful conditions like diabetic neuropathy and diabetic ulcers. He may suggest:

• Custom-made shoes if you have severe deformities
• External shoe alterations including sole adjustment and shock absorption properties
• Healing shoes for post-surgical or ulcer treatment
• In-depth shoes with additional depth to allow inserts or orthotics
• Orthotics to relieve pressure and absorb shock

Because diabetes affects your nervous system, you may have a foot injury like an ulcer and not even feel it; or you may have diabetic neuropathy and feel acute pain. In any case, proper foot protection is critical to prevent debilitating foot injuries. Don’t’ suffer with diabetic foot problems when help is just a phone call away.