Winterizing your FEET

      Winterizing Your Feet  

   

Season Greetings from Advanced Podiatry Clinics! This season brings us cold temperatures, snow, ice, low humidity, all of which may cause or exacerbate certain lower extremity medical conditions. We frequently see patients with xerosis, dermatitis, frostbite, Raynauds disease, burns, and fractures in our clinic during this season. 

 Many people winterize their cars and homes. Dr. Dukarevich and Dr. Harb recommend the following easy tips to "winterize" your feet this season and avoid any foot problems.
 

• Examine your feet daily for any cuts, sores, cracks, calluses, swelling, redness, drainage
•  Check on the bottom and between the toes

•  If you have trouble getting to your feet, ask a friend or a relative to help

• Use special foot creams with lactic acid or urea, such as Flexitol Heel Balm, at least twice daily
• Avoid putting cream between the toes

• Avoid soaking your feet or bathing in hot water frequently or for prolonged periods of time
•   When taking a bath check the temperature of the water with your elbow before stepping in

• Do not walk barefoot around the house or in open-backed slippers
•  Use clean white cotton or wool socks
•  Change socks daily or more often depending if your feet sweat a lot

• Avoid tobacco and alcohol use

• When going outside in cold weather, wear clothes and shoes appropriate for the temperature
• Wear warm loose-fitting clothing, gloves, and socks to avoid compression of digits
•  Use well-fitting supportive shoes with good traction on outer soles
•   Try a shoe traction device if you plan to walk far in the snow or ice

• Avoid prolonged exposure to cold temperature -- be extremely careful when walking outside in icy or wet conditions 

•  If you get your socks or shoes wet outside, remove and change them as soon as possible
•  Allow wet shoes to dry thoroughly for at least 48 hrs before putting them back on
•  Do not use radiators or space heaters to warm your extremities 

• Seek medical attention if you have any questions or concerns
• If you have diabetes, poor circulation, or other systemic disease, you may benefit from routine screenings and foot care from your podiatrist
• You can contact us by phone at 708-450-0705 or through our website at  www.advpod.com

Advanced Podiatry Clinics and Staff wish everyone a happy and safe Holiday Season! 

Diabetic Foot Care

Diabetic Foot Care

At Advanced Podiatry Clinics, we frequently treat patients with foot and ankle complications secondary to diabetes.  Diabetes affects many organ systems in your body including nerves, blood vessels, immune system, musculoskeletal system, and your ability to heal. Due to these reasons, people with diabetes have to take special care of their feet.

Many people with uncontrolled diabetes develop diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a condition which causes a gradual loss of sensation in the lower extremities. People simply do not feel if they step on something sharp, if their shoes are rubbing, or if they develop calluses,ulcers, or infections. These sensory changes are gradual and go unnoticed by most people. Neuropathy also could contribute to deformity of the feet, such as hammer toes, changes in your gait, and dryness of the skin.

Occasionally, patients may develop tingling, burning, or shooting sensations in their feet, which is known as painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. These sensations occasionaly become quite painful and may interfere with normal sleep during the night. To help with the diagnosis, Dr. Dukarevich will occasionally order nerve conduction velocity and electromyography studies (NCV/EMG).

For our patients' conveniece, Advanced Podiatry Clinics closely works with NeuroTrans(http://neurotransdiagnostics.com/index.html) to offer our patients on-site nerve conduction testing in our office. Dr. Dukarevich will often prescribe topical over-the-counter, prescription, or compounded creams to relieve the burning, tingling, and shooting pain in the feet. Occasionally, oral medications may be necessary to relieve these painful symptoms.

In addition, diabetes contributes to blood vessel disease, called arteriosclerosis. The small arteries that carry the blood from your heart to all organs, including your feet, can narrow and become obstructed. The lack of blood flow makes it very difficult to heal ulcerations on your feet and in severe cases can lead to gangrene. Diabetes also slows down your immune system and makes it difficult for your body to fight infection.

Dr. Dukarevich and Dr. Harb recommend the following simple tips to avoid and prevent foot complications secondary to diabetes.

o   Maintain tight control of your blood sugar by seeing your endocrinologist or primary care doctor on a regular basis. Check your blood sugar regularly and take your medications as prescribed. An exercise regiment, special diet may also help to level your blood sugar.

o   Always use diabetic shoes and inserts, as prescribed by your podiatrist.

o   Use diabetic or white cotton socks and change them daily.

o   Do not walk barefoot.

o   Check your feet daily for any calluses, cracks, corns, rashes, or sores. Don't forget to check in between the toes.

o   Check your feet daily for any redness, swelling, drainage, warmth, or bad smell. These may be a sign of infection and you should contact your podiatrist immediately.

o   Check your shoes for any foreign objects before putting them on every day.  Give them a shake; you will be surprised what you find.

o   Check the temperature of your bath water with your arm or elbow before immersing your feet.

o   Apply an emollient cream to your feet daily to keep the skin soft and resilient. Do not apply any lotion in between your toes.

o   Do not attempt to cut or trim your own toe nails or calluses with any sharp objects. Using an emery board for your nails and a pumice stone on a regular basis may help to keep them from getting out control in between your visits. Do not use any over-the-counter corn removers.

o   See you podiatrist on a regular basis for diabetic check-ups, routine foot care, and diabetic shoes.

o   Please contact Advanced Podiatry Clinics at (708) 450- 0705 if you have any questions or concerns regarding your feet. We are also on line at www.advpod.com.






References:

1. Patient education for preventing diabetic foot ulceration.

Dorresteijn JA, Kriegsman DM, Assendelft WJ, Valk GD.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Oct 17;10:

2. Preventative foot care in people with diabetes.

American Diabetic Association

Diabetes Care January 2003 vol. 26 no. suppl 1 s78-s79