Protect Your Feet with Diabetic Footwear

We’re celebrating two important calendar events this week! Thursday, of course, is Thanksgiving. And the entirety of November is Diabetes Awareness Month. In the spirit of these events, we’d like to talk a bit about something we’re really thankful for at Wilks Advanced Foot Care: diabetic footwear.

If you have diabetes, you probably already know that the disease is associated with many complications, including significant foot problems. Damaged nerves and impaired circulation make a dangerous 1-2 punch—they compromise your ability to both feel an injury, and heal an injury. A single missed blister or cut may be the first step on the road to ulceration, or even amputation.

That’s why we’re so thankful for diabetic footwear! Specially made shoes and socks can help protect your feet from both internal and external threats.

• They can help you keep your feet dry and warm, reducing your risk of skin conditions and infections.
• They defend against stubs, impacts, puncture wounds, and other direct injuries to the foot caused by outside forces.
• They reduce both shock (impact forces) and shear (side-to-side friction) across the bottom of the sole, which can tear and damage tissue.
• They offer plenty of width and depth to accommodate custom orthotics and give your toes room to wiggle and flex.
• They help you accommodate and stabilize deformities (like bunions or hammertoes) and restrict abnormal motion in joints. This helps to relieve pain and swelling.

If you have diabetes and any kind of history of foot problems—or a screening test has revealed trouble brewing in the future—we strongly recommend you get yourself fitted for a pair of prescription diabetic shoes. Healthy feet that allow you to live a full life is another huge thing to be thankful for, and you want the good times to last your whole life long! To schedule your appointment, give us a call today at (541) 673-0742.