Proper Shoes For Diabetics

Kristin K. Titko, DPM, MBA, is a board-certified specialist at the Center for Foot Care, a leading podiatric practice in Cincinnati. Dr. Titko has written several articles on achieving and maintaining good foot health, and regularly presents seminars and lectures on podiatric health to various local groups, including diabetic focus groups, the arthritis foundation, and school-age children and their parents.

The following article is based on Dr. Titko’s long-standing expertise with helping with the relief and prevention of a wide range of painful foot and ankle problems.

PROPER SHOES TO PROTECT YOUR FEET IF YOU HAVE DIABETES

• The number one reason a person with diabetes is admitted to the hospital is for foot ulcers or openings in the skin.
• 70% of these ulcers result in amputation.
• A corn or a callus (hard skin on top of your toes or on the ball of your feet) indicates a pressure point and in people with diabetes, this means an area at greater risk of ulceration or infection.
• Prevention is the key to avoiding amputation.
• By wearing properly fitted shoes, before an ulcer starts, the risk of amputation is reduced. In addition to fitting properly, the shoes must have solid support with protective custom inserts.
• If your feet have nerve damage (neuropathy) from diabetes, you may be unaware of ill-fitting shoes. Shoes that are too tight or too small can lead to ulcers.
• Fortunately, most insurance plans cover custom fitted shoes and inserts for those feet at risk of damage as a result of diabetes. These shoes are available by prescription only from your podiatrist.
• Don’t wait until it is too late to be sure that your shoes will help keep your feet healthier, longer.

For the last 17 years, Dr. Titko has been leading the charge for good foot health through her practice at the Center for Foot Care. Together with her staff, she has developed the Center for Foot Care into a practice that provides superior quality medical and surgical care of the foot and ankle to the local and extended communities of Cincinnati. You can reach Dr. Titko in Mt. Healthy on Hamilton Avenue at 513-729-4455. For more information, visit www.CincinnatiFootCare.com