It is Diabetes Awareness month. Diabetes is the leading cause of nontraumatic lower-limb amputation. And sadly, an amputation takes place every 30 seconds in the United States. Amputation can be prevented! With proper foot care from today's podiatrist, you can manage the effects of the disease on your feet. Podiatrists are uniquely qualified among medical professionals to treat the foot and ankle, based on their education, training, and experience. Make sure to visit a podiatrist and knock your socks off to keep your feet healthy.

We've compiled information from APMA that will help you to take control of diabetes and the negative effects it can have on your feet! Whether you've recently been diagnosed or have been battling the disease for years, the podiatrist-approved advice below will help you to monitor your feet and prevent diabetes-related amputation.

Prevalence of Diabetes

• TOTAL: 23.6 million people – Nearly eight percent of the US population has diabetes.
• DIAGNOSED: 17.9 million people
• UNDIAGNOSED: 5.7 million people

Prevalence of Diabetes among people 20 years or older

• AGE 20 YEARS OR OLDER: 23.5 million. Nearly 11 percent of all people in this age group have diabetes.
• AGE 60 YEARS OR OLDER: 12.2 million.  Almost 23 percent of all people in this age group have diabetes.
• MEN: 12 million. Close to 11 percent of all men, age 20 years or older, have diabetes; nearly one third do not know it.
• WOMEN: 11.5 million. Nearly 10 percent of all women age 20 years or older have diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes is at least two to four times higher among non-Hispanic black and Hispanic/Latino-American women than among non-Hispanic white women.

Prevalence of Diabetes by Race/Ethnicity among People 20 Years or Older

•  AFRICAN-AMERICANS: Nearly 15 percent, or close to 4 million, of all non-Hispanic blacks, age 20 years or older, have diabetes. On average, non-Hispanic blacks are 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites of similar age.
• HISPANIC/LATINO-AMERICANS: Nearly 11 percent of Hispanic/Latino-Americans age 20 years or older have diabetes. Mexican-Americans, the largest Hispanic/Latino subgroup, are almost two times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.
• CAUCASIAN- AMERICANS: Close to 15 million, or nearly 10 percent, of all non-Hispanic whites, age 20 years or older, have diabetes.

A Complication of Diabetes: Amputation

•  About 60-70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of diabetic nerve damage (which often includes impaired sensation or pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion of food in the stomach, etc.). Severe forms of diabetic nerve damage can lead to lower-extremity amputations.
•  More than 60 percent of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations in the United States occur among people with diabetes.
• After an amputation, the chance of another amputation within 3 to 5 years is as high as 50 percent, according to the National Diabetes Education Program.
• The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for people without diabetes.

Preventing Diabetes Complications

• A podiatrist plays an integral role in a diabetes management team; a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM) is qualified by his or her education, training, and experience to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg.
• Diabetes can affect many parts of the body and can lead to serious complications such as blindness, kidney damage, and lower-limb amputations. Working together, people with diabetes and their health care providers, such as a podiatric physician, can reduce the occurrence of these and other diabetes complications.
• Comprehensive foot care programs can reduce amputation rates by 45 percent to 85 percent

Information for this fact sheet has been compiled using the latest statistics from the American Diabetes Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Diabetes Frequently Asked Questions:

Why should I “knock my socks off” and see a podiatrist?

The feet are said to be mirrors of our general health and can reveal diabetes warning signs such as numbness, redness, swelling, or non-healing wounds. Making at least two appointments a year with a podiatrist, the foot and ankle expert, to have your feet examined is a critical step in avoiding diabetic foot complications and amputation.

I have been diagnosed with diabetes. What types of foot complications could
I possibly experience?

You may experience the following symptoms:
• a loss of feeling in your feet
• a change in the shape of your feet
• foot ulcers or sores that do not heal
• amputation

Keeping your blood glucose (sugar) in good control, taking care of your feet every day, and visiting a podiatrist regularly can help you avoid serious foot problems.

What are the warning signs of foot problems from diabetes?

As neuropathy (numbness) often makes it difficult to feel sensation in the limbs, waiting for pain in the feet to detect problems is not an option if you have diabetes. Chief warning signs to look for include irritation, redness, cracked and dry skin (especially around the heels), and drainage on socks. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should be evaluated by a podiatrist.

What are diabetic ulcers, and how can I prevent them?

Diabetic ulcerations are often one of the first signs of complications from diabetes in the lower leg. These ulcers (or sores) can stem from a small wound or cut on the foot that is slow to heal. If left untreated, ulcers can grow larger and become harder to treat successfully and can lead to amputation. However, if discovered early and treated by a podiatrist, many ulcers can be healed successfully without resorting to amputation.

Are other lower limb complications from diabetes preventable?

Most diabetic complications in the feet and legs are completely preventable! Regularly “knocking your socks off” and receiving a medical foot examination from a podiatrist can decrease your risk of a lower limb amputation by as much as 80 percent.

Is there a special kind of footwear available for those with diabetes?

Yes—certain types of shoes, socks and custom orthotics are all created especially for those with diabetes. People with diabetes should never go barefoot, and making sure to keep feet protected can reduce the risk of cuts and scrapes of the feet that can lead to complications.

Many podiatrists also participate in a special therapeutic shoe program that certain patients with diabetes may qualify for. For a list of diabetic footwear that has the APMA’s Seal of Acceptance, visit www.apma.org.

To find a podiatrist near you, visit www.todayspodiatrist.com.

 

Do you how to take care of your feet if you have diabetes? Find out now by taking this educational quiz on proper foot care to prevent diabetic foot complications and amputation:
http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=knock-your-socks-off-amputation-prevention-quiz

Visit our page about diabetic wound care or read more about diabetes and feet.
Click here to schedule an appointment!

All information from: WWW.APMA.ORG