Patients with diabetes are prone to certain foot problems due to the resulting neuropathy or peripheral vascular disease. Neuropathy and vascular disease cause nerve damage and restricted blood flow, which can decrease your ability to feel sensation in your feet or take much longer to heal from an injury, especially a cut. Nerve damage and tissue weakening due to reduced blood flow can increase the risk of various foot conditions and infections.

What are some of the foot problems diabetics are prone to and need to watch out for?

• Athlete’s foot. With athlete’s foot, a fungus can cause germs to enter the skin through cracks in the skin. Symptoms include cracking, itching, and redness. Athlete’s foot can be treated with a variety of medications, with the most common treatments coming in pill or rub form.
• Fungal nail infections. Nail infections are more difficult to treat than athlete’s foot. With fungal nail infections, the nail can become discolored, thick or brittle, and weaken to the point where the nail begins to crumble. The most common treatments for nail fungus include topicals that are applied directly to the toenails and pills that can only be prescribed by a doctor. Fungal infections can be caused by the warm, moist environment of shoes and injuries to the toenails.
• Calluses. Calluses are a hardened buildup of skin that is often found on the bottom of the feet. Uneven or incorrect weight distributions, skin abnormalities, or poorly fitting shoes cause calluses. Various treatments are available including prescription medications, cushioned shoe inserts, and the use of a pumice stone when bathing to gently rub off accumulated tissue. Corns should not be cut or sliced ​​with a sharp object, as infection may occur.
• Calluses. Just like corns, corns are also a buildup of hardened tissue on the feet. The only difference is that calluses develop between the toes and near bony areas. Scrubbing with a pumice stone or taking prescription medication can treat calluses. Topical treatments and cutting calluses with a sharp object are not good ways to remove calluses.
• Blisters. Blisters are painful pockets of pus that often develop on the soles of the feet and on the toes. The most common causes of blisters are ill-fitting shoes and prolonged use of shoes without socks. Against your instinct, popping a blister is the worst thing you can do. Popped blisters can quickly and easily lead to infections that take longer for a diabetic to heal from.
• Captivity. A bunion is when the big toe begins to twist and leans toward the second toe. Because the big toe grows crooked, the part of the toe that attaches to the foot can become calloused, sore, and red. The area may also become hard. Bunions can be hereditary or they can be the result of poorly fitting shoes, such as high heels with a narrow toe box. Foam padding, toe separators, and surgery are common cures for bunions.
• Foot ulcers. A foot ulcer is a break in the skin or a deep sore that can become infected. Foot ulcers can be the result of minor scrapes, slow-healing cuts, or rubbing from ill-fitting shoes. Early intervention is important in treatment. Ask your doctor for advice on the best way to care for your wound.
• Hammer fingers. Hammertoes are toes that are bent under the feet due to weakened and shortened toe tendons. Hammertoes can impede the ability to walk and run properly, as well as contribute to other foot problems, such as sores, blisters, and calluses. Corrective shoes and splints are common treatments for hammertoes. In severe cases, surgery may be needed.
• Ingrown toenails. Ingrown nails are those with edges that grow into the skin. Ingrown toenails often cause pain, swelling, pressure, and drainage. They can also quickly become infected. Improperly trimmed toenails, vigorous physical activity such as running or walking, pressure from ill-fitting shoes, and constant toe crowding are the most common causes of ingrown toenails. Prescription medications, properly trimmed toenails, and surgery are common treatments for ingrown toenails.
• plantar warts Plantar warts are painful calluses usually on the balls of the feet or heels. These warts are caused by a virus.

All of these foot problems mentioned above can happen to anyone. However, they are more likely to occur in diabetics and are more serious for diabetics who cannot fight off the bacteria and viruses that cause them. Diabetic feet also take longer to recover and heal from these otherwise common foot conditions that are easy to prevent and cure.