Diabetic Foot Care & Assessments – Protecting your feet, preserving your health

 

Why Is Diabetic Foot Care So Important?

  • If you have diabetes, your feet require special care and regular monitoring. Diabetes can affect the nerves, circulation, and healing ability of the feet, increasing the risk of:

  • Foot ulcers

  • Infections

  • Delayed wound healing

  • Amputations in severe cases

 

Many serious complications begin as minor issues that go unnoticed due to reduced feeling or poor circulation. That’s why routine diabetic foot assessments with your podiatrist are crucial—even if you feel fine.

 

What Is a Diabetic Foot Assessment?

A Diabetic Foot Assessment is a thorough podiatry check-up designed to detect early signs of complications, prevent problems, and guide safe foot care routines.

 

What Your Podiatrist Will Check:

1. Circulation (Vascular Check):

We check foot pulses and may use a Doppler ultrasound to assess blood flow

 

2. Nerve Sensation (Neurological Check):

Using a monofilament, tuning fork, and reflex testing to assess protective sensation and vibration detection

 

3. Skin and Nail Health:

Dryness, cracks, pressure points, calluses, fungal infections, or wounds

 

4. Foot Structure & Biomechanics:

Flat feet, bunions, hammer toes, pressure areas or gait abnormalities

 

5. Footwear Assessment:

Ensuring your shoes support your feet and reduce friction or pressure

 

6. Diabetic Foot Risk Classification:

We provide a risk rating (low, moderate, or high) to guide future care and follow-up frequency

 

Why This Matters

  • People with diabetes are more likely to experience:

  • Loss of sensation (Peripheral Neuropathy)

  • Poor circulation (Peripheral Arterial Disease)

  • Foot ulcers due to unnoticed injury or pressure

  • Fungal infections or skin breakdown

  • Delayed wound healing and infection spread

 

** Early detection = Early prevention = Fewer complications.

 

How Often Should I Have My Feet Checked?

Risk Level Check-Up Frequency

  • Low Risk Every 12 months

  • Moderate Risk Every 3–6 months

  • High Risk Every 1–3 months or as needed

 

We’ll guide you based on your individual foot health, lifestyle, and diabetes history.

 

What Can We Do For You?

  • Treat and manage corns, calluses, thick nails

  • Offload high-pressure areas with padding or orthotics

  • Prescribe footwear or diabetic-specific shoes if required

  • Monitor existing ulcers or high-risk areas

  • Provide wound care and referrals to your GP or specialists if needed

  • Educate you on daily foot checks and preventative habits

 

Daily At-Home Foot Care Tips

  • Inspect feet daily for cuts, swelling, blisters, or colour changes

  • Wash feet daily, dry thoroughly—especially between toes

  • Moisturise, but avoid between toes

  • Avoid walking barefoot, even at home

  • Trim nails straight across—don’t cut deep into corners

  • Wear cushioned, supportive shoes with a roomy toe box

  • Change socks daily and avoid tight elastics

 

When to Seek Urgent Help

  • Contact us or your GP if you notice:

  • A cut, blister, or wound that won’t heal

  • A warm, red, swollen foot—especially if pain-free (may be Charcot foot)

  • Sudden loss of feeling

  • Foul odour, pus, or discolouration

  • Blackened skin or signs of infection

 

Delaying treatment can lead to serious complications.

 

Book Your Annual Diabetic Foot Check with us today

Protecting your feet is a lifelong part of managing diabetes. With regular assessments and proactive care, we’ll help keep you mobile, comfortable, and complication-free.

 

From your team at Toe-tal Podiatry

Safe steps start here.