Foot care

Type1horsegirl said:

Hi everyone so I had my appointment with my doctor we got into a decision about feet he said nobody with diabetes should be walking around barefoot even getting out of bed to go to the toilet as you might not be able feel your feet and your could damage the skin . He also said every person with debates putting cream on my feet everyday . I have perfect hb1c 6.4 as a type 1 I was proud of myself for what I have achieved I thought feet were more of a problem for type twos as they are more prone to complications . I just thought it was odd advice as I never had a problem with my feet other than dryness which is pretty normal that I have to be so stricted with my foot care.

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My blood sugars are usually excellent, HbA1c is 36 (5,4 to you, I think) and has been consistently in the mid-30's since I went low carb for my T2... And while I have excellent feeling in my feet, no neuropathy or anything... I do notice they heal slower, and get infected fast. Might be due to other conditions I'm sporting, (Hashimoto's, Sjögrens) I don't know, but even without true diabetic complications, I should take care of my feet more than I tend to do. I've stopped walking around barefoot because my pedicurist begged me to, as she couldn't keep up with my callused heels. That, and I kept breaking my toes whenever I kicked something by accident.

Just, you know... Be nice to your feet in general, even if you feel like the advice is weird. I guess everyone should, really... Diabetic and non-diabetics alike.

Diabetes and feet the age old problem, even if your diabetes is under good control it’s still a good habit to look after your feet , as changes in control can happen from time to time, with regard as to what cream , I think it’s more of a case of keeping skin moisturised , as cracked skin can cause problems , and once started can become a pain to fix so prevention is better than cure ,
I’m lucky now only have one foot to worry about so it’s half the work lol , but it’s half the work that needs to be done

EllieM said:

I've been told that by my endocrinologist too and I do try to wear slippers even in the house. After 53 years of T1 I don't have any obvious symptoms of neuropathy but I do think my feet may heal slightly slower than a non diabetic. I have always had quite a poor sense of balance so I am prone to falling and twisting ankles etc. Treading on something in the dark (got to be glad my kids are now adult and past the age of leaving small pieces of lego on the floor) is all too easy to do in bare feet.

Edited to add - but I've no idea what type of foot cream you are supposed to use? The only cream I've ever used is cream for athlete's foot/tinea

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(Usually one that keeps things moisturised. I tend to use creams with aloe vera or tea tree oil, with a vaseline base. If I don't forget....)

I used to love walking around barefoot, even outside in the summer, and only had slippers for when I went into hospital. But I have non diabetic peripheral neuropathy. I was never warned about walking around barefoot for that, but when I was diagnosed T2, one of the first things I did was buy a new pair of slippers on the advice of my DN.
And the podiatrist doesn't like to remove calluses for diabetic patients so nags me to use a moisturiser on my feet.

I use a special foot cream, but I never walk around the house in slippers. I think we just have to watch our feet, because we might not notice the wounds, but too much anxiety will only lead to the fact that it will spoil our mood and we won't even cut our toenails ourselves. My feet suffer a lot more from the fact that my cat is hunting me . But I have to admit that my feet are almost always cold, even if it's hot outside.

Type1horsegirl said:

he said nobody with diabetes should be walking around barefoot even getting out of bed to go to the toilet as you might not be able feel your feet and your could damage the skin . He also said every person with debates putting cream on my feet everyday .

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I think there are three reasons diabetics are often warned against going barefoot:

1. Many diabetics have some loss of sensation in their feet, but definitely not all. We should get regular foot checks to make sure we still feel everything. If you still feel everything, this is not a reason not to go barefoot of course, but if you have some loss of sensation it's easy to miss small injuries which can lead to big problems.
2. Higher than normal blood glucose slows down healing. The longer the skin stays open, the higher the risk of infection. Which again can lead to big problems, much bigger than in non diabetics.
3. If we do get an injury, and if it does get infected (which can happen to diabetics and non diabetics alike), chances are that the infection itself will lead to higher BG. Which will slow down healing, which in turn will make it harder to heal the infection, which may get worse, raising BG even more and it can spiral down pretty quick that way, even in diabetics who usually have decent numbers.

That said, everyone should make their own decisions of course.
If I weigh the risks and benefits of going barefoot for myself, only number 3 is a risk for me, my feet are fine, my numbers are in the normal range, and I heal well and quick (if I abstain from endless picking at scabs ).
On the benefit side, I absolutely hate wearing shoes, so indoors and small ventures outdoors I alsways go barefoot or ruin my socks again. When I go out, I never wear more than slippers or open sandals (with socks in winter).
So for me, the benefits outweigh the risks, I would be very miserable if I had to wear shoes.

I don't think I've put cream on my feet in my life. Why would I, if the skin is healthy? I don't even own any type of cream.