Many people know that diabetes affects your blood sugar, but you may not know that it can affect the health of your legs and feet. People diagnosed with diabetes often make changes to their diet, but it’s important that they protect their feet, as well.
While you may do your best to take care of your legs and feet by keeping them clean and dry, trimming your nails, or moisturizing your skin, you can take it one step further. Orthopedic shoes can help you prevent damage or maintain your feet and leg health while you work to improve your sugar levels. Keep reading to learn the benefits of orthopedic shoes for diabetic health.
5 Diabetic Leg and Foot Health Conditions
Over time, untreated diabetes can lead to serious health conditions that affect far more than your feet and legs. However, even with your blood sugar under control, diabetes can do some damage to your lower extremities.
1. Diabetic Neuropathy
High blood sugar can cause nerve damage to your legs and feet, causing pain and numbness. While some may experience only mild symptoms, others may suffer so much pain they cannot walk. Orthopedic shoes are designed with lightweight cushions, stretchable material, and arch support that can help relieve the pressure of nerve pain while standing and walking.
2. Poor Blood Flow
Diabetes hardens and restricts the blood vessels in the legs and feet, resulting in poor circulation, pain in the calves, and cold feet. Keeping your feet warm and getting regular exercise are great ways to keep your blood moving. If you’re having trouble staying active and keeping your feet warm without extra moisture, try some breathable orthopedic shoes.
3. Gangrene
When you can’t feel your feet or legs due to nerve damage from diabetes, it puts you at a higher risk of gangrene. Accidental injuries, calluses, and foot ulcers that worsen could get infected, and it doesn’t take long for gangrene to set in. Covered orthopedic shoes can protect your feet from accidental injuries, while the supportive cushion relieves pressure off any calluses and foot ulcers, allowing them to heal.
4. Charcot’s Foot
This condition can happen when people with diabetes can’t feel their feet and ankles due to nerve damage. Charcot’s foot can cause the foot and ankle to become deformed by attacking the tissues, muscles, and bones. Orthopedic shoes work to spread your weight across your whole foot, providing support to your feet and ankles and reducing pressure.
5. Amputation
When wounds such as gangrene, foot ulcers, and calluses worsen, amputation can be necessary, including anything from a single toe to both legs. While you can still wear an orthopedic shoe after a toe amputation, the first goal of orthopedic shoes is to help prevent the causes of amputation. You can wear supportive orthopedic shoes to protect and support your feet and ankles.
Pick Up a Pair of Orthopedic Shoes at Saenz Pharmacy
You can take control of your diabetic health by wearing the best shoes for your feet. With supportive, breathable, and stretchy material, you can find comfort and style with orthopedic shoes.
Whether you need a new pair or are shopping for your first set of orthopedic shoes, you can find them at your McAllen pharmacy. At Saenz Pharmacy, our team can help you find the right size and type of orthopedic shoe that fits your needs!