Why Good Foot Care Is Important for Diabetes

The Effects of Neglecting Your Feet

These risk factors leave you susceptible to myriad problems, including skin infections, open wounds called ulcers, and sometimes amputation. According to Cordell "Corky" Atkins, P.T., CWS, CDE, CPed, manager of the diabetic foot clinic at Intermountain Healthcare's LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, about 15 percent of adult PWDs in the United States will develop a foot ulcer, and roughly 3 percent will require amputation of a toe, foot, or leg because of improper wound care.

These numbers may not seem astounding, but when you consider that 18.2 million American adults have diabetes, 3 percent represents a population the size of Portland. And with two years of ulcer care costing up to $28,000 and amputation nearly $50,000, Atkins says a foot complication becomes a life-changing event.

When an ulcer develops, staying off the wound is often recommended. That makes it difficult to get the activity needed to control your blood glucose and blood pressure levels and may lead to more problems.