Podiatry

With the increase in lower limb amputations due to diabetes, researchers look into how specific racial groups manage nonpharmacological modalities in prevention.  

A patient of mine who had diabetes and peripheral neuropathy came home from the hospital after a below-the-knee amputation of her right leg. She lived alone and was housebound. Having lost one leg, I knew she was at increased risk for losing her other leg. While in rehab, she had a professionally custom molded shoe made for her left foot which she started to wear.

Investigators find patients treated with GLP-1 drug had significantly lower number of amputations compared to placebo group.

Diabetic foot ulcers put patients at increased risk of falling.

What should you add to prevent a loss of limb?

Does an ounce of prevention beat a pound of cure?

I am a diabetes educator and certified foot care nurse. Through the years, I’ve learned that most topics we teach people who have diabetes are really topics every person should know about. I teach patients how to care for their feet, how to prevent foot problems, and how to treat them if they should have problems.

People who have diabetes are usually taught to purchase protective soft leather shoes with a wide toe box. That doesn’t mean everybody who has diabetes follows those recommendations. A woman, type 2 diabetes, who is knowledgeable about diabetes and foot complications was wearing cloth shoes with a “corded” bottom and manmade rubber sole. She was caught in the rain. Her shoes were soaked.

The Society for Vascular Surgery, the American Podiatric Medical Association and the Society for Vascular Medicine collaboratively publish first-ever set of clinical practice guidelines for treating diabetic foot.

In the final installment of this interview with Dr. Don Fetterolf, Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed asks about recommendations for identifying and treating diabetic foot ulcers.