What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic (long-term) condition that affects a person’s glucose metabolism, i.e. how sugar is used by the body. It is a result of a deficiency of the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. The number of people affected by this condition is growing and now affects around 3% of the population. Diabetes can be divided into two types, depending roughly on age and treatment:

Insulin Dependent Diabetes (Type 1):

In this form the body fails to produce insulin. The hormones help glucose to enter cells where it provides the body with energy. Without insulin, the sugar level in the blood rises to much higher levels than would be found in a normal individual. This type usually affects younger people, appearing before the age of 40, and is treated by diet (low sugar and low fat) and insulin injections.

Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes (Type II):

In this form, the body mostly continues to produce insulin. However, either not enough is made or the insulin produced is not recognised by the body and so cannot produce its effect. The biggest cause of this ‘insulin resistance’ is obesity, therefore overweight people are more at risk of developing type II. This type usually affects older people, appearing after the age of 40. However, the recent rising trends in childhood obesity has seen children as young as 5 years old being diagnosed with the condition. Type II diabetes is treated by diet (low sugar and low fat) and often tablets that help control blood sugar levels.

How Does Diabetes Affect the Feet?

• Circulation can be affected by diabetes and lead to reduced arterial supply to the foot. This can lead to intermittent claudication (a cramping feeling in the leg when walking), poor healing of wounds or lesions of the foot and increase the risk of infection.
• Feeling or sensation can be adversely affected by diabetes, the unstable blood sugar levels over time can lead to damage of the peripheral nerves of the feet. This leads to the experience of numbness and loss of feeling. This puts the feet more at risk of injury as the person can’t feel their feet as well. In more serious cases the foot can lose all sensation and then the feet have to be checked visually as the feeling sensation is absent.
• Wound healing can also be affected by diabetes. The unstable blood sugar levels coupled with the two factors outlined as above make wound healing slower and more at risk of complications such as infection.

Helpful Advice on Diabetes

Following the advice of your doctor or diabetes specialist on diet, exercise and blood sugar control will help keep the complications of diabetes to a minimum. But there are extra measures that should be recognised in caring for the diabetic foot:

• Good footcare. Wash your feet every day and dry carefully, especially between the toes. Consult a Healthcare Professional about your nail care. Some diabetics are fine to cut their own toe nails while others should be done by a podiatrist. Seek expert advice in this regard.
• Good footwear. Buy broad, well-fitting footwear, making sure that you have enough depth in the toe area to allow your toes to move comfortably. There should be a half-inch gap between the ends of the toes and the end of the shoe. Low heels and good fastenings, preferably lace-ups, will hold your foot securely at the heel and stop it slipping forward in the shoe. Avoid seams on sensitive areas of the foot or toes, particularly if you have neuropathy because you may not feel the damage that rubbing or irritating the feet may do.

For further information on Diabetes
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetes/Pages/Diabetes.aspx 

Diabetes UK
Tel: 0345 123 2399
www.diabetes.org.uk
careline@diabetes.org.uk

www.feetforlife.org

Call in and see us at Wealden Mobility where we have a wide range of suitable shoes, slippers and related products available for you to try before you buy