16^th European Diabetes and Endocrinology Congress

Diabetic Foot and Ankle

Foot problems are a big risk. All people with diabetes should monitor their feet. If you don't, the consequences can be severe, including amputation. Minor injuries become major emergencies before you know it. With a diabetic foot, a wound as small as a blister from wearing a shoe that's too tight can cause a lot of damage. Diabetes may also decrease your blood flow, so your injuries can be slow to heal. If your wound is not healing, it's at risk for infection. As a diabetic, your infection may spread quickly, and if you have any loss of sensation (neuropathy) you may not recognize that the problem is getting worse. People whose diabetes is not properly controlled tend to have more foot problems than nondiabetics. Having diabetes is not a sentence to developing problems with the feet. Lifestyle and physical activity plays an important role. The patient’s profession can be an indicator to determine what their prognosis may be. Types of diabetic foot and ankle problems seen are multifactorial. The most common complication is peripheral neuropathy. It is often because patients with long-standing diabetes, who have diabetic peripheral neuropathy, may not have adequate feeling in one or both feet or ankles, to know early that something is wrong.