Diabetic Foot Care Specialist

Why do I need diabetic foot care?

Diabetes is a chronic and systemic disease that affects how your body regulates the glucose levels in your blood. This problem leads to higher-than-normal blood sugar levels that can severely compromise your circulation and nerve health.

And where these compromises play out the most is in your feet, thanks to their distance from your heart. With high glucose levels, your feet don’t receive the oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood they need to maintain good health.

The major complication that develops is peripheral neuropathy, which affects half of those who have diabetes. This type of nerve damage leads to:

• Ulcers
• Loss of balance
• Numbness and tingling

In fact, peripheral neuropathy can lead to amputation in severe cases, which is why the expert diabetic foot care at Florida Foot and Ankle is so critical.

What is involved in diabetic foot care?

The key to good diabetic foot care is Dr. Matey’s oversight of your foot health. With diabetes, the circulation to your feet is often insufficient, which means that any small problem can blossom into a large one because it’s slow to heal, allowing ample time for infection to set in.

Dr. Matey wants to prevent this from happening, which is why he provides oversight through regular appointments and individualized treatment plans. Each case is different, so Dr. Matey tailors a diabetic foot care program to your specific needs, emphasizing preventive care as the first line of defense.

What can I do on my own to care for my feet?

While Dr. Matey can provide excellent oversight of your foot health, there’s a lot you can do on your own to help avoid the serious complications that come with diabetes, including:

• Inspecting your feet daily
• Gently washing and drying your feet daily
• Wearing roomy shoes
• Trimming your toenails straight across
• Wearing socks at all times

It’s important that you seek Dr. Matey’s help at the first sign of a problem, which is why your daily care is so important because you can notice problems right away.

If you’d like experienced and expert diabetic foot care, call one of the three Florida Foot and Ankle locations or use the online scheduling tool to set up an appointment.