Winter Foot Care Tips for Diabetics
I met a man who was shoveling his vehicle out during snowmeggeden. We worked diligently to help him uncover his vehicle. At one point, we looked down and discovered his foot had come out of his boot. The scary thing about this is that his boot was at the front of his vehicle and he was moving snow at the rear of his vehicle. He didn’t realize he had been working and standing with stockinged feet, in 20 inches of snow for several very cold minutes. Scary, very scary. He never felt the cold or snow on his feet.
Diabetes sufferers must be extra careful during the winter months. The nerve damage to their feet prevents them from feeling the cold on their feet like the rest of us. Their feet may feel numb when they walk in the snow and this prevents them from detecting when they need to add more layers of socks, or retreat back to warmer temperatures, i.e., the house. As importantly, if you or a loved one has diabetes and your feet get wet, dry and warm your feet right away. Rub them gently, dry them thoroughly and warm them up. Moisturize them and give them a quick foot massage to help refresh them.Continue to check them daily but spend extra time checking your feet after you come back in from the snow. The articles below have more great winter foot care tips for diabetics. Have fun and be careful in the snow.
http://www.advancedtissue.com/diabetic-foot-care-tips-for-winter/
http://www.adwdiabetes.com/articles/winter-foot-care
http://www.everydayhealth.com/diabetes-pictures/diabetes-smart-tips-for-winter-foot-care.aspx
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