Diabetes Foot Assessment

 
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Diabetes mellitus is a condition that occurs when the body is not producing enough insulin from the pancreas. Insulin helps the body transport sugar from the blood into the cells. When there is not enough insulin it results in higher levels of glucose or sugar in the blood. Sugar comes from the food you eat and drink, it helps you do things like walking and running. It is ok to have a little bit of sugar in your blood; the ideal range is between 4-6mmol/L fasting. However, when you have diabetes the level of sugar needs help to stay in this range with diet, medication, and/or insulin. Those with diabetes have a higher risk of damage to nerves and blood vessels feet because there are higher levels of sugar in your blood which can cause damage.

The two main types of diabetes are known as Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes often occurs in younger people and is insulin-dependent. While Type 2 diabetes often occurs more commonly as you age and is associated with obesity and hypertension. It is a non-insulin-dependent form of diabetes, however, some people with Type 2 diabetes require insulin injections.

Diabetes increases your risk of foot complications, which is why it is recommended to have a diabetes foot assessment performed by a podiatrist and ongoing podiatry care if necessary. The podiatrist will conduct a neurological and vascular assessment as part of the diabetes foot assessment.

Long Term Lower Limb Complications of Diabetes:

  • Loss of protective sensation

  • Decreased blood supply to the feet

  • Increased risk of infection

  • Diabetic foot ulcers, amputations, and gangrene

 Your podiatrist will advise you on appropriate footwear, care instructions such as how to perform daily foot checks and what to look out for to manage and prevent ulceration, infection, and other complications.

People with diabetes are more likely to develop the following foot-related conditions:

  • Neuropathy is the loss of feeling in your feet which can result in injuries occurring which you do not feel and hence can cause ulceration

  • Vascular complications like Medial Calcification of the arteries can lead to reduced blood flow and poor healing

  • Charcot neuroarthropathy is a condition that can lead to bone destruction and a rocker bottom shaped foot

  • Ulceration is a break in the skin which can result in osteomyelitis which is an infection of the bone, which left untreated may result in amputation

Please see your podiatrist ensure you are having regular diabetes foot assessments, checking if your footwear is appropriate, and gaining advice on daily foot checks, etc.

You can book an appointment online with our Bondi Junction podiatry clinic located in Sydney for a diabetic foot assessment.

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.