Wounds on Feet: What Should You Know and How to Treat it?

Wounds are common on feet and podiatrists are experts at managing complex wounds on feet. Feet are susceptible to infection and it is important to manage injuries appropriately. Individuals with medical conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions may be at higher risk of developing wounds on their feet.

Have you ever got any cut on your foot due to any injury that isn't going away? If so, maybe you are suffering from an ulcer of the foot rather than just having a wound on the foot. Foot ulcers have even more severe symptoms than foot wounds.

No matter how careful you are, you can still be exposed to minor cuts and scrapes, and sometimes you can get even more serious wounds. Moreover, injuries on your feet or ankles are more painful and difficult to heal. Therefore, proper foot wound care and treatment are required for proper healing.

How to clean and treat the wounds, and what to do if the foot injury is infected. Which wound dressing is best and whether the foot wound is associated with diabetes? You will learn all of this in a single article. So, stick to it and learn some incredible facts. 

What types of wounds can occur on feet?

Foot wounds occur due to foot injury and damage the skin and upper tissue layer. Foot wounds and ulcers are not the same, but their symptoms and treatment can often be very similar.

Different foot wounds can occur for various reasons, including diabetic foot, venous stasis, arterials, and pressure ulcers.

Diabetic foot ulcers may occur due to diabetes, peripheral arterial disease, and diabetic-linked neuropathy. The diabetes-associated sores usually appear anywhere on the foot but are primarily present on the big toes and soles.

Venous stasis ulcer occurs due to damaged veins and primarily appear on the ankle or leg.

Arterial ulcers occur due to arterial insufficiency, and these sores appear between or on the tips of toes. Venous and arterial ulcers are common in patients with high blood pressure. Therefore, one way to avoid these is to keep your blood pressure within the normal range.

Finally, pressure ulcers occur due to improper shoes or are caused by a lack of foot movement, most commonly appearing in the foot heels or ankle area.

When does a foot wound become an ulcer?

A foot wound is caused by any major or minor injury which can be due to any cuts and can sometimes heal itself. However, if the foot wound fails to heal correctly, it can form a foot ulcer. Some ulcers of the foot start as wounds but can worsen due to any underlying problem.

Poor circulation of blood can affect proper wound healing. Therefore, if the blood flow is poor, then the foot wound can't be adequately healed and can lead to ulcer formation.

Sometimes, diseases like diabetes can also worsen the foot wound and cause it to become an ulcer. Along with these, nerve damage and bone and muscle deformities can often lead to the formation of an ulcer from foot wounds.

How can you clean foot wounds?

One should clean the wounds regularly to avoid infection and promote the wound-healing process. However, you should wear disposable protective gloves while caring for your wounds. To clean any cut, wash the wound with fresh water or sterile saline and antibacterial soap.

Note: Soap can irritate if the wound is fresh. Therefore, you must avoid using it unless protective scar tissue has formed over the wound.

An alcohol swab can disinfect and remove the dirt if the wound is dirty. You can also use a 1% povidone-iodine solution to clean the dirt on injuries. To make a 1% solution, one part of povidone-iodine is mixed in 10 parts of water, then apply this solution on the wound and hold with light pressure if required.

What should I do if the foot wound becomes infected?

If people don't care for their wounds properly, they become infected. A puncture wound or wounds by animal or human bite are also at significant risk of infection. Therefore, you should know the signs to know if you have an infection.

If redness, tenderness, or swelling occurs at the site of injury or green or yellow fluid is coming from the injury, you may have an infection. Other signs include chills, fever, feeling generally unwell, and swelling of lymph nodes.

Suppose you have any of these signs; in that case, you should immediately contact your podiatrist or general practitioner so that they can assess your wound and recommend the proper treatment by looking at the condition of the wound. If any infection is present, the podiatrist will prescribe some antibiotics you should take appropriately for a healthy and quick recovery.

Which wound dressings are best to use on feet?

There are different types of wound dressings available in the market, but which is best for you will depend on the wound size and location, fluid levels, allergies, infection, and surrounding integrity of the skin. It is important you consult with your podiatrist to determine which dressing is most suitable.

Choosing the best dressing is very important, so the following are the main things one should check before taking any wound dressings.

It should provide a moist wound environment, protect wounds, and promote healing. It should be non-allergic, non-irritating, easy to use, cost-effective, and easily removable. Some dressings your podiatrist may recommend include Manuka honey dressings, silver dressings, absorbant dressings, and hydrocolloid dressings.

How can you offload a wound on your foot?

One can offload a wound on their foot by using specialized foot padding which can be supplied by a podiatrist, custom orthotics or even custom footwear. In the case of diabetic foot ulcers, it's essential to reduce pressure on the foot. One can relieve this pressure using custom therapeutic footwear like diabetic shoes and innerwear.

Total contact cast (TCC) systems can also be used for offloading the high pressure on the foot of patients with neuropathic ulceration. However, along with these non-surgical methods, various surgical techniques are also available for offloading wounds on the feet.

Can you develop foot ulcers if you have diabetes?

Yes, diabetes is one of the risk factors for developing foot ulcers. Foot ulcers are one of the most common complications that cannot be managed through diet, exercise, or treatment with medicines such as insulin. These ulcers are formed when the skin breach and the underneath layer is exposed.

People with foot ulcers should have to take good care of their feet for the speedy recovery of their wounds. Due to diabetes, poor blood flow, high levels of blood sugar, and damage of nerves occur that can worsen the foot wound and cause it to form diabetic foot ulcers.

When should you go to a podiatrist for a foot wound?

Normal wounds can easily be cared for and treated at home. Still, if the wound is not getting better at home and you feel redness and swelling in the area of injury along with yellow fluid coming from the site of injury, then it can be an infection and one should go to a podiatrist. If your wound becomes infected you should immediately contact your podiatrist or general practitioner so that they can assess your wound. If an infection is present you may be prescribed antibiotics, our podiatrist is endorsed for the prescription of scheduled medicines.

The podiatrist will look for the infection of your wound and either prescribe you antibiotics or carry out surgery, depending on the condition of your wound. If a podiatrist prescribes antibiotics, then you should have to complete the medication course to treat your foot wound correctly.

Can a podiatrist treat wound on the foot?

Yes, a podiatrist will look for a minor or major injury and treat you based on your wound condition, by prescribing you antibiotics, debriding the wound and dressing it appropriately. If your wound injury is associated with any other medical condition, the podiatrist can treat it accordingly.

So, if you have any of the above issues consult a podiatrist at Bondi Podiatry. We treat feet from all over Sydney, particularly the Eastern Suburbs. As podiatrists in Bondi Junction, we are happy to treat anyone that comes to our Sydney clinic. Our local area includes Bondi Junction, Bondi, Bondi Beach, North Bondi, Rose Bay, Tamarama, Coogee, Randwick, Bellevue Hill, Dover Heights, Vaucluse, and Edgecliff.