Appalling!!

carol43

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Messages
1,192
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I find wearing socks inside out is better as the seam doesn't dig in but thankfully I don't have anything wrong with my feet (yet)
 

Incyb

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Messages
109
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Why is it bad to wear socks that are not loose around the top? Is this the case even if your A1c is in normal range through diet?
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
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Insulin
Why is it bad to wear socks that are not loose around the top? Is this the case even if your A1c is in normal range through diet?
I believe it has more to do with loss of feeling though neuropathy. If you don't feel a seam is digging in your foot it can easily lead to a nasty wound. If there are no lumpy seams that won't happen so easily. The loose top must be because many diabetics don't have a very good blood flow in their feet, and cutting it off even more by tight socks won't help.
I guess when you're all clear in those regards, it doesn't matter what socks you wear, but these are just my thoughts, not a professional opinion.
 

Incyb

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Messages
109
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thanks. My mother had a horrific wound on her ankle for years before her death of a heart attack, and my grandfather lost his legs. I'm anxious to avoid it!
 
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DCUKMod

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From time to time, Lidl and Aldi do gym and cycling socks, and they're generally excellent. Lots of padding and support in the arches, and very smooth over the toes, where the seam would usually be.

I'm on constant look out on their offers emails, as my OH particularly likes them for golf.
 
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Resurgam

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9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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I used to go walking in the Pennines in my youth and then took up dancing in clogs - for Morris teams, not clog dancing as such - and always made my own socks - I still have some from back then, as blisters or sore feet half way through a long day of walking or dancing were never going to make things cheerful. A well fitting wool sock made to the shape of your foot and made with thick wool on small needles is very comfortable and protective. During the knitting they can look to be kin to porcupines, with all the points, but they are not hard to make.
 

Brunneria

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21,889
Type of diabetes
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Diet only
Why is it bad to wear socks that are not loose around the top? Is this the case even if your A1c is in normal range through diet?

There are all sorts of 'rules' that Ds are supposed to adhere to, with the intention of keeping our feet healthy
- socks not tight around the ankles
- socks with flat seams
- flat shoes
- sensible shoes
- always wear enclosed shoes
- never go barefoot
- carefully wash and dry each foot daily, including between the toes, and inspect for injuries and sore spots and numb spots
- use a lotion daily to help skin condition
- see a podiatrist/chiropodist regularly
- make a doc appt if you get blisters or foot injuries or have ANY concerns at all
- ensure you get treatment for anything like ingrowing toenails, etc. etc.

As someone who spent every childhood summer barefoot on Cornish beaches, in rock pools and scrambling up cliffs, I struggle with half of these. Although I appreciate how sensible they all are, and how doing them all would reduce the number of diabetic amputations every year, I confess that I still regularly wear sandals in the summer, forget foot lotion and have never yet had a foot inspection or seen a podiatrist. But I would be the first person to make an appointment if I saw a problem starting.
 

DCUKMod

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I reversed my Type 2
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Personally, I took that list to be a bit like the patient information leaflet in a pack of meds. There's lots of useful and helpful information, but they're covering as many eventualities as they can on a single sheet of paper.

When diagnosed, I saw a private Podiatrist within a week (I was going away for a few months, so fancied ticking to tootsie box before I went). When I told her I would rarely be wearing shoes in the coming 9 months, she just stated her envy and told me to keep a close eye on things and to be very careful of cuts of blisters. She also told me that walking barefoot in sand of excellent tootsie exercise and sand is a very good, natural exfoliant.

That said, my feet are in decent condition, with good circulation and so on.

A few months later I did have a dark spot under a nail, so high-tailed it to the podiatry walk-in clinic. It was a bruise. I couldn't recall having injured my toe at all, but was advised to photograph the bruise, to ensure it was moving up the nail over time, which it did.

I'd say we all have to be careful of our feet, but for me, I'll do the sensible thing (mainly!) and keep an eye on things. I can't see me rushing out to buy specially diabetic socks any time soon.
 
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LooperCat

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5,223
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Type 1
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I knit my own seamless socks too, using a 3mm 30cm circular needle. Means I can satisfy my urge for expensive yarn, as I only need one ball for a pair of socks! Makes the perfect portable project too, all those hospital waiting rooms. With a circular needle you can stop at any point, I found with a set of double pointed ones, I was forever saying “let me just finish this needle” when I got called through...
 
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LittleGreyCat

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,233
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
Sitting here in my Birkenstocks I just ask "socks? wot dem?".

I was paranoid about my feet when first diagnosed but now I just go barefoot or Berkied about the house.

I don't really have much choice in shoes as so few fit me, so Clarkes extra wide (weddings and funerals), New Balance 4E width trainers and Brasher/Berghaus walking boots.

Fortunately my feet seem healthy so normal sports and walking socks seem to be fine.
 
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Robbity

Expert
Messages
6,683
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
The old tip of frying your slippers in bread crumbs & wearing them like Findus crispy pancakes..?! ;)
With or without breadcrumb coatings and fried or otherwise I think diabetic slippers would make much better whack-around-the-earhole weapons than the original soggy wet kippers...:eek:

Robbity
ETA I've used normal fluffy lined bedsocks and just unpicked the elastic threads/cords from around the tops but they tend to slip down and off without that little restriction.
 
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Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,214
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
There are all sorts of 'rules' that Ds are supposed to adhere to, with the intention of keeping our feet healthy
- socks not tight around the ankles
- socks with flat seams
- flat shoes
- sensible shoes
- always wear enclosed shoes
- never go barefoot
- carefully wash and dry each foot daily, including between the toes, and inspect for injuries and sore spots and numb spots
- use a lotion daily to help skin condition
- see a podiatrist/chiropodist regularly
- make a doc appt if you get blisters or foot injuries or have ANY concerns at all
- ensure you get treatment for anything like ingrowing toenails, etc. etc.

As someone who spent every childhood summer barefoot on Cornish beaches, in rock pools and scrambling up cliffs, I struggle with half of these. Although I appreciate how sensible they all are, and how doing them all would reduce the number of diabetic amputations every year, I confess that I still regularly wear sandals in the summer, forget foot lotion and have never yet had a foot inspection or seen a podiatrist. But I would be the first person to make an appointment if I saw a problem starting.

Good advice, Brunn. I have regular foot checks. But In the past I've had two incidence of a horse standing on my foot. (Plain wellies.) A nail from a plank. (Yep, that one!) broken glass in a bare foot. Dead wasps actually still able to sting. A trolly stacked of frozen chips. (When I worked in food retail it fell.) there are countless times I dropped a PA speaker on my foot & a 3 foot long bayonet from WW1 I was messing with in socks & had a "misshap."

I wear steel toed PPE these days..You never know what might happen.. :banghead:
 
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DCUKMod

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14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
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Good advice, Brunn. I have regular foot checks. But In the past I've had two incidence of a horse standing on my foot. (Plain wellies.) A nail from a plank. (Yep, that one!) broken glass in a bare foot. Dead wasps actually still able to sting. A trolly stacked of frozen chips. (When I worked in food retail it fell.) there are countless times I dropped a PA speaker on my foot & a 3 foot long bayonet from WW1 I was messing with in socks & had a "misshap."

I wear steel toed PPE these days..You never know what might happen.. :banghead:

And there was me sparing the squeamish by leaving out my impaling my tootsie with a rusty nail, on a beach in the Tropics. The sight of blood does nothing for me, but that turned my tummy a little bit. :hungover:

Yes, I did pull it out and just went into the sea for the first rinse off.

It healed absolutely fine, so I daresay the first aid we gave it worked. It took the edge off my day though. :) I wore flipflops for a day or two after that.

I'm such a naughty person, and I don't recommend anyone trying it out. :)
 

MargaretR

Well-Known Member
Messages
125
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I’m all in favour of diabetic socks. I have always had very stocky legs, and they have got worse with diabetes. I also have rheumatoid arthritis which has caused my toes to curl, the diabetic socks are wonderful as the tops are soft enough not cut into my calves, which adds to the problems with lowered blood supply to the toes.
Diabetic socks are brilliant, they solve all my problems.

Margaret