Diabetes foot checks and foot care

Diabetes can affect the nerves and circulation in your feet, often without you noticing. A regular foot check helps pick up changes early, so small problems can be looked after before they become bigger ones.

How diabetes can affect your feet

Your feet rely on a good blood supply to stay healthy, and on lots of nerves that act as a warning system. If you have a stone in your shoe, those nerves tell your brain something is wrong.

Over time, diabetes can affect both. Nerve changes can mean you no longer feel that stone, so a blister, cut or ingrown nail can go unnoticed. Reduced circulation means cuts, burns and blisters take longer to heal. Together, these can let small problems turn into wounds or ulcers, which is why regular checks and daily care matter so much.

Who should have a diabetes foot check

• Anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, at least once a year
• People with numbness, tingling or burning in their feet
• Cold feet or changes in skin colour
• Corns, callus, thick nails or slow-healing wounds
• Anyone who has had a foot ulcer before

Your diabetes neurovascular assessment

This is a thorough check of how diabetes may be affecting your feet, so we can spot changes early and plan your care.

1. 1

   Your health history

   We talk about your diabetes, general health, medications and any concerns about your feet.

2. 2

   Nerve checks

   We test sensation, vibration and reflexes to look for any signs of nerve change (neuropathy).

3. 3

   Circulation checks

   We check your foot pulses and may use Doppler ultrasound and toe pressures to see how well blood is reaching your feet.

4. 4

   Skin and nails

   We look for dryness, cracks, callus, corns, infection or wounds, and check your nails.

5. 5

   Movement and walking

   We check joint range, muscle strength and your footwear, and may use gait analysis on our treadmill to look at pressure as you walk.

6. 6

   Your risk level and action plan

   We explain your foot risk, give you a written action plan and send a report to your GP.

Where needed, we also look after your nails and any callus or corns in the same appointment.

Your foot risk level

Your results help us work out your foot risk, which guides how often we recommend seeing you.

• Low risk: usually every 6 to 12 months.
• Medium risk: usually every 3 to 6 months.
• High risk: usually every 1 to 3 months.

Many people also find regular podiatry nail and skin care helpful between checks, along with a visual inspection of their feet by a professional.

Your personalised action plan

• How often to come back, based on your risk level
• Care for anything we find, such as a skin and nail plan for fungal nails or skin infections
• Further assessments where helpful, such as a biomechanical assessment, orthotic review or footwear fitting in our shoe and movement shop
• Products that may help, such as pressure-relieving insoles, custom orthoses or compression stockings
• Whether you can safely look after your own nails at home, or whether you’d like us to help

Looking after your feet at home

• Check your feet every day, including between your toes. We can show you how.
• Wash with a gentle, low pH wash and dry well between your toes.
• Use a urea-based moisturiser on dry skin, but not between your toes.
• Avoid walking barefoot, even at home.
• Shake out your shoes before you put them on and check inside for rough edges.
• Choose lace-up shoes that are deep and wide enough at the toes, with cotton socks.
• Keep your blood sugar levels in the range your GP or diabetes educator recommends, stay active and avoid smoking.
• Cover any cut or graze with an antiseptic and a clean dressing each day. If it isn’t healing, see your podiatrist or GP.

When to call us straight away

If you have diabetes and notice a new wound, swelling, redness, warmth or a black or darkening area on your foot, seek help the same day. See urgent care.

Working with your care team

We work with your GP, diabetes educator, endocrinologist and other specialists, and refer to hospital high risk foot services when needed.

Sometimes advice is all you need

Not everyone needs treatment. Sometimes the most helpful thing is a clear explanation of what’s going on, practical advice and a plan you can manage yourself. We’ll always talk you through every option, including no treatment, so you can decide what’s right for you.

Frequently asked questions