Foot care is an important part of managing your diabetes. In fact, keeping an eye on your feet can help prevent major problems, including amputation. “In the diabetic patient, there are many complications involving the lower limbs,” says Diane Koshimune, DPM, a podiatrist at Kaiser Permanente in California. “The feet are important in our day-to-day lives. If something happens to them, it can impact your ability to walk, to get around, to work.”
Nerve damage causes complications
Poorly controlled diabetes can cause a number of complications. One of the main concerns is nerve damage to the feet, a condition called diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). It is estimated that around 50% of people with type 2 diabetes and 20% of those with type 1 diabetes will develop DPN.
Depending on which nerves are affected, this can be either very painful or rob you of sensation in your
