How often should I have Foot Checks done if I have Diabetes?

Jayne Robbie, Senior Lecturer in Diabetes Care, Specialist Podiatrist explains how often you should have Foot Checks for people with Diabetes. She explains that an assessment is made at your annual health check if you are at high or low risk. If you have any degree of problem then every three months would be normal. If you have ongoing foot problems then you may well be on a more individualised program.

Dr Mushtaqur Rahman, Consultant Endocrinologist and Diabetologist shares his expertise in how often people with Diabetic Foot problems should be followed up. He advises that you should tell your healthcare provider if you are developing numbness or hard skin as they need to know.

Jayne Robbie, Senior Lecturer in Diabetes Care, Specialist Podiatrist talks about the process of doing a foot check for her patients with Diabetes. She talks about a visual check of a number of factors. She stresses how it's important to compare to what is normal for your feet personally. She also talks about checking shoe fitting. Jayne also asks people what sorts of treatments they are doing for themselves and check those for safety. She also talks about cultural issues in peoples health beliefs and explains what is safe and what may not be. Then she goes on to physical checks and explain tests which are done as well as asking you about the feeling in the feet.

Dr Mushtaqur Rahman, Consultant Endocrinologist and Diabetologist gives advice on staying healthy with Diabetic Foot problems. He talks about checking your own feet and looking out for problems. He also talks about using simple measures to keep you feet healthy. He says that if people develop nerve damage then the usual protective mechanisms of feeling pain don't work as well for you. Hence being more vigilant than other people is suggested - in the same way Bear Grills might check his boots for scorpions in the jungle!

Dr Mushtaqur Rahman, Consultant Endocrinologist and Diabetologist explains what an 'Acute Charcot Foot' is. He explains that small fractures and inflammation can happen quickly resulting in a hot swollen foot. He explains that even a little pain may suggest a lot of damage going on inside. He says that you should seek urgent medical attention as there are things that can get done to allow the foot to heal by reducing the amount of load going through it.

Dr Mushtaqur Rahman, Consultant Endocrinologist and Diabetologist explains what the main problems with Diabetes causes in terms of feet. He talks about diabetic neuropathy and also peripheral vascular disease. He goes on to talk about neuropathy (nerve damage) and what it means. Dr Rahman explains that the numbness can be very severe and result in you not noticing injury at all. Once injury happens, then bacteria which live on the outside of the skin can move inside and cause damage to the bones and soft tissue. He also talks about a process which is caused by neuropathy which leads to your foot to be misshaped which again can lead to ulcers forming and infection getting inside.