If you have diabetes, your feet are checked for a specific reason: diabetes can quietly damage both the nerves that tell you something is wrong and the blood vessels that heal it when it is. Those two things together turn small problems into serious ones.
The good news is that this is one of the most preventable complications in healthcare. Regular checks and decent footwear do most of the work.
Why feet, specifically
Two complications matter here. Peripheral neuropathy reduces sensation, so a blister, a stone in the shoe or a burn from a hot water bottle may not hurt. Peripheral arterial disease reduces blood flow, so when damage does happen, healing is slower.
Put together, someone can develop an ulcer without ever feeling it, and it can be well established before anyone notices. That is why podiatrists test sensation and circulation rather than just looking at the feet.
How often should feet be checked?
It depends on risk. Someone with good sensation, good circulation and no foot changes needs checking far less often than someone with neuropathy, a previous ulcer or a foot deformity. Your podiatrist or GP sets the interval based on that assessment, and it is reviewed as things change.
What matters is that the assessment happens and that someone is tracking it, rather than it being remembered only when something goes wrong.
What a diabetes foot check involves
- Sensation testing, usually with a monofilament and sometimes a tuning fork, to map whether protective sensation is intact
- Circulation checks, feeling pulses in the foot and often using a doppler
- Skin and nail assessment, looking for pressure areas, calluses, cracks and early breakdown
- Foot shape and pressure, because changes in shape alter where load goes
- Footwear review, which is where a surprising number of problems begin
- A plan, including how often to be seen and what to watch for at home
What to do at home
- Look at your feet daily, including between the toes and the soles. Use a mirror or ask someone if you cannot see them easily.
- Check inside your shoes before putting them on. Stones, folded socks and foreign objects cause a lot of damage to feet that cannot feel them.
- Wash and dry properly, especially between the toes, and moisturise dry skin while avoiding the gaps between toes.
- Never use hot water bottles, heat packs or electric blankets directly on feet. Burns are common and frequently painless.
- Do not treat corns or calluses yourself with blades or medicated pads.
- Avoid going barefoot, indoors as well as out.
When to seek care the same day
Do not wait for your next scheduled appointment if you notice:
- A new wound, blister, ulcer or area of broken skin
- Redness, warmth, swelling or discharge, with or without pain
- A sudden change in foot colour, particularly dark or dusky areas
- A foot that suddenly becomes hot and swollen without obvious injury
- Fever alongside any foot problem
Getting checked
With a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, standard diabetes foot care appointments at our Darra clinic are bulk billed. We also see people at home across Brisbane, Logan and Ipswich, which matters if getting out is difficult.
Call (07) 3187 5018 or send us a quick enquiry.
General information only, not a substitute for individual assessment. If you have a foot wound and diabetes, seek care promptly, and go to your GP or an emergency department if you cannot be seen quickly.
