Diabetes is a debilitating disease that causes a whole range of short-term and long-term effects on anyone who is dealing with it. Since November is National Diabetes Month, we here at Connecticut Foot Care Centers are taking time to discuss the disease with our patients as much as possible. If you’re one of the 29 million people in America who are dealing with diabetes daily, you know the effects are many and varied.

Short-term effects of diabetes

There are several things that happen to individuals with diabetes when their bodies’ blood sugar levels are outside of normal range. Here are a few:

• Lack of energy
• Blurred vision
• Excessive thirst
• Excessive hunger
• Increased need to urinate
• Feeling lethargic
• Weakness
• Shaking
• Nervousness
• Sense of confusion

Long-term effects of diabetes

If you’ve been suffering from diabetes for many years, your risk for the long-term effects or complications are increased. Those effects include:

• Kidney disease
• Retina damage
• Blindness
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Blood vessel damage 
• Nerve damage

How diabetes affects your feet

Nerve damage, or neuropathy, and blood vessel damage, or peripheral arterial disease, are two common long-term effects that concern podiatrists the most. Nerve damage can rapidly lead to numbness, which can make it tough for a diabetic patient to detect a foot injury or laceration. If you do suffer a scratch, cut, or abrasion to your foot as a diabetic with blood vessel damage, then the wound will heal much more slowly than it would in a non-diabetic foot. Wounds that do not heal can rapidly progress to becoming infected. In worst-case-scenarios, an infection in the foot of a patient with diabetes will result in amputation of a toe, foot, or even the entire lower leg.

If you have diabetes, the good news is that those who take concrete steps to improve their health and blood sugar levels can delay these long-term effects. If you have diabetes and have not had a podiatric checkup in a while, call us today. Our team of foot doctors here at Connecticut Foot Care Centers is equipped with a wealth of knowledge and resources in caring for diabetic feet. We provide the best in foot and ankle care and utilize the newest diagnostic and treatment techniques and technologies! Our friendly and knowledgeable staff has unparalleled experience and can help you at any of our six conveniently located Connecticut offices. Request an appointment today!

Diabetes affects millions of Americans each year, causing issues with their bodies all the way down to their feet. November is National Diabetes Month. If you have diabetes, you know how tough it can be to balance nutrition, weight, and exercise along with all the potential health issues you’re on the lookout for. One of the main issues to keep up on is foot health care. We know how much of a balancing act that can be here at Connecticut Foot Care Centers! That’s why we’ve put together a handy list of what to look for and how to properly care for your feet to take the guesswork out.

Follow these four tips for diabetic foot care

1. Keep up with podiatry checkups. Your podiatrist is medically trained to care for your feet and ankles, including training to work with patients with diabetes. Regular visits to your podiatrist are a must for diabetic patients to adequately monitor your feet and note any changes in your health. These visits could make the difference in having to amputate a limb.
2. Do daily foot checks. Sometimes you forget to check in with your feet when you’re busy. Pencil in time every day to look at your feet thoroughly. Make sure you have no ulcers, wounds, or cuts that are headed towards infections. Those can be detrimental to diabetic feet.
3. Choose the right footwear. Shoes that fit improperly can rub and cause blisters. Due to nerve issues associated with diabetes, a blister that is left untreated could lead to a wound that could potentially become infected. It’s important to wear comfortable shoes that fit right.
4. Trim your nails correctly. Always make sure to cut your toenails straight across and not too close. This will help to prevent ingrown toenails that can grow into a nasty infection.

If you are a patient with diabetes who has not had a podiatric checkup in a while, call us today. Our team of foot doctors here at Connecticut Foot Care Centers is equipped with a wealth of knowledge and resources in caring for diabetic feet. We provide the best in foot and ankle care and utilize the newest diagnostic and treatment techniques and technologies! Our friendly and knowledgeable staff has unparalleled experience and can help you at any of our six conveniently located Connecticut offices. Request an appointment today!

Diabetes can come with a myriad of issues. Luckily, there are also a number of ways to help ensure a long, healthy, happy life for our diabetic patients. One safe and heartily recommended way to help lower blood sugar and reduce weight for diabetic patients is to engage in regular exercise. If you’re not used to being active, it can seem like a huge step to all of a sudden incorporate exercise into your daily life. Thankfully, we’ve put together several tips that can help you improve your health and your diabetes.

Follow these tips for safe, effective exercise:

1. Start with realistic goals – Write down your goals in a journal or on a to-do list. This will set a great visual reminder or what you want to accomplish.
2. Begin with walking – Start your exercise off slow with 10 minutes of walking a day. Build from there.
3. Use a pedometer – Monitoring your daily activity is a great way to know if you’re reaching your goals. Keep up with your progress in a journal.
4. Increase activity where you can daily – Start taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walk or bike to run chores at nearby areas instead of driving.
5. Start stretching exercises – Yoga and Pilates can help keep your joints and muscles limber. Try to find a beginner’s class in your area.
6. Do some balancing exercises – Attempt standing on one leg or walking backwards. These simple exercises can help improve your balance overtime.
7. Have a workout pal – It’s easier to stay motivated when you have a friend working towards similar goals.
8. Watch your blood sugar – Regular monitoring of your blood glucose will help you see the results your exercise is having and help to keep you motivated
9. Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise. This helps with circulation and prevents any other complications that come with dehydration.

Before beginning a brand new exercise regimen, it is important to ensure your body is ready for what you’re about to set upon. A podiatrist can help ensure your feet are healthy and that there are no underlying foot conditions that need addressing.

Our team of foot doctors here at Connecticut Foot Care Centers provide the best in foot care to all of our diabetic patients. We can help ensure your feet and ankles are healthy and ready to embark on a new exercise journey! We encourage all of our patients to stay fit and healthy. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you at any of our six conveniently located Connecticut offices. Request an appointment today!

If you have diabetes, foot care should become part of your every-day routine. An ulcer might seem benign to someone without diabetes, but we’ve seen firsthand how often they can lead to big trouble for our diabetic patients. Research from the American Podiatric Medical Association shows that 15% of diabetics suffer from ulcers and that ulcers put 6% of diabetics in the hospital. These infections occasionally lead to amputation of a foot or limb. Podiatry experts have said that ulcers and amputation are preventable.

These tips along with regularly scheduled visits to your podiatrist at Connecticut Foot Care Centers will help minimize the chance of foot complications for diabetic patients: 

• Do daily checks. Get a mirror down under your feet to check for cuts, bruises, blisters, or punctures. Ulcers typically start on the sole of your feet, so be sure to check there daily. Don’t forget between your toes!
• Check for feeling. Run a blunt object along the bottom of your foot to ensure feeling persists. Nerve damage is common in diabetics and can lead to wounds going untreated.
• Keep your feet clean and dry. Wash your feet daily with mild soap and warm water. After you’re done, dry them thoroughly with a soft towel. Ulcers are less likely to develop on clean, dry feet.
• Trim your nails properly. Cut your nails straight across, but never too short. Curved nails can dig into the sides of your toes and create painful ingrown toenails.
• Properly dress your feet. Ensure your shoes fit your foot right. Too-tight or too-loose shoes can squeeze or cause rubbing and friction. Clean dry socks will naturally keep your feet clean and dry too. Bring an extra pair with you and change during the day if you need to.
• Manage your diet well. Follow the recommended dietary guidelines that your doctor laid out for you. Regularly check your glucose levels to ensure you’re in good standing.
• Quit smoking and cut back on drinking. Smoking constricts your blood vessels and alcohol can accelerate nerve damage. Either of these scenarios can lead to infections, ulcers, or other health complications.

A good relationship with your podiatrist is also a necessity if you have diabetes. Our knowledgeable foot doctors here at Connecticut Foot Care Centers can help get you on a path to foot health. Click here to schedule an appointment or call one of our six conveniently located Connecticut offices today! 

Hammertoes begin when abnormalities in the utility of the foot trigger the tightening of tendons and ligaments, resulting in the joints of the toe bending in an unusual way. This bending forces the toe to point upwards and in turn keeps the joint in a downward position. Hammertoes are also a serious issue for diabetics because of their poor circulation and because they have a higher risk of developing complications and foot ulcers.

Treatment for this condition involves:

• Wearing shoes that have large toe boxes.
• Refraining from wearing high-heels.
• Avoid wearing loose-fitting shoes if possible.
• Use of padding to reduce pain or taping to relieve pressure.
• Use of anti-inflammatories to reduce swelling that may be caused by joint deformities from your hammertoe.
• Orthotics are also used to alleviate pain and stop the hammertoe from getting worse.
• Surgical procedures may be required when hammertoes get too stiff and stuck in the bent position. Surgery will accomplish the removal of the bone in the toe that is sticking out and put it back into its proper position, allowing the joint to heal for several weeks thereafter.

Hammertoes can grow into significant issues when not treated timely, such as an increase in rigidity, requiring surgery to fix the resulting deformity. The deformities this condition can cause will act as a severe hindrance to mobility. For these reasons, please contact us now so that we can help your toes become hammertoe free! Here at the Connecticut Foot Care Centers, LLC,  located in Rocky Hill (860) 563-1200, Bristol (860) 582-0747, Middletown (860) 346-5226, Glastonbury (860) 633-6749, Newington (860) 666-2078 and Kensington (860) 828-9455, Connecticut, our podiatrists, Jeffrey S. Kahn, D.P.M., Richard E. Ehle, D.P.M., Craig M. Kaufman, D.P.M. and Ayman M. Latif, D.P.M., can assist with providing top-notch treatment for your hammertoes before they become insurmountable. So, make an appointment today by calling our office at any of the numbers provided above and please take a moment to visit our Patient Education library to dive deeper into what you need to do in order to maintain optimal foot and ankle health now and in the future.