Relationship Between Diabetes and Feet Health

Maintaining the health of your feet is part of living with diabetes, as high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) for an extended period can ultimately lead to peripheral neuropathy (reduced feeling in the feet from a damaged nerve).4 This diabetic foot numbness can make recognizing foot problems difficult.3

 

Table of Contents

Signs of Diabetic Foot Arrow icon
Diabetes-Related Foot Complications Arrow icon
Tips for Preventing Diabetic Foot
Issues Arrow icon
Treating Diabetic Foot Issues Arrow icon

Signs of Diabetic Foot

Diabetic foot checks are crucial for noticing and managing diabetic foot issues before they worsen, so recognizing the signs is important. Use a mirror if you are having trouble seeing.1

Look for diabetic foot and ankle swelling, warmth, and redness, in addition to assessing pain or discomfort in your feet.3 These are not all the signs of diabetic foot issues, so do not hesitate to tell your healthcare provider any problems you may have with your feet.

 

Other Foot related problems: Abscess in Diabetics

Unnoticed diabetic foot issues can lead to more serious complications. 

  • Diabetic foot ulcers are common in people living with diabetes.5  
  • Peripheral arterial disease may occur when blood flow does not reach the lower extremities (hip, diabetic leg pain, and feet).6
  • Charcot foot (joint-related disease) is a rare condition where bones in the foot weaken. Symptoms include hot, swollen feet sometimes without visible wounds.7
  • Diabetes and Stinky Foot odour (bromodosis) is an embarrassing and perplexing condition mostly caused by bacteria of the Brevibacterium species.10
 

Other Foot related problems: Abscess in Diabetics

People with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing foot abscesses due to high blood sugar levels and reduced immune response.8

  • Elevated blood sugar reduces the body's ability to fight infection, increasing the risk of abscess formation in the feet.8
  • Foot abscesses in individuals with diabetes may require more intensive treatment and longer hospital stays.8
  • Poor circulation and nerve damage can further complicate these infections.8
  • Early detection is essential to prevent serious complications. Daily foot checks, proper hygiene, and prompt medical care at the first sign of redness, swelling, or pain is key.8

Can Diabetes Cause Muscle Spasms and Cramps?

Patients with type 2 diabetes frequently experience muscle spasms and cramps, especially in the calf muscles. These uncomfortable symptoms are often linked to reduced blood flow in the small vessels that supply the muscles. Here are some key points to consider:9

  • Individuals with type 2 diabetes have reported experiencing muscle cramps in their lower legs.9
  • Reduced microvascular blood flow may lead to muscle spasms and cramps.9
  • People who experience muscle cramps tend to show a higher prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, which suggests that muscle cramps may be a sign of overall microvascular dysfunction.9
  • The frequency, duration, and intensity of muscle cramps can vary from person to person.9
  • Maintaining good blood sugar control and supporting proper circulation may help reduce the occurrence of these muscle cramps.9
Being aware of these symptoms and addressing them early with your healthcare provider can help improve comfort and prevent further complications.

Tips for Preventing Diabetic Foot Issues

Preventive care is key to keeping your feet healthy. In addition to looking for any signs of diabetic foot issues each day and frequent checkups with your healthcare provider, there are other ways to help prevent foot issues:

  1. Wear comfortable shoes and socks and change your socks every day. Special footwear for diabetic foot is also available if you are having trouble finding shoes that work for you.1
  2. Practice good foot hygiene. Use warm water to wash your feet every day, keep your feet clean and dry them thoroughly after each wash. Carefully apply moisturizer but avoid areas in between your toes, where fungal infections can develop.3 Keep your toenails trimmed and filed straight across.1 Your healthcare provider can help if your feet are difficult to reach.3
  3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Taking care of your whole body is part of managing any condition. Healthy eating, exercise, and smoking cessation can help prevent diabetic foot issues.1,4 Ask your healthcare provider about exercises that specifically target your feet.2
  4. Keep on top of your treatment: Monitoring blood glucose levels regularly to make sure your medication is working correctly can help you stay ahead of hyperglycemia and diabetic foot issues.3
 

What is a Physical Exam for a Diabetic Patient?

Diabetes physical exams help your healthcare team catch problems early so you can stay healthy. Here is what you can expect during a diabetes-focused exam:

1. Vital Signs Check: Your provider will review your blood pressure, heart rate, and any changes when you move from sitting to standing. This check can reveal signs of autonomic neuropathy.12

2. Eye Exam: A look at the back of your eyes, including your retina and optic disc, helps detect early signs of diabetic eye disease. If any issues are found, you may be referred to an eye specialist.11

3. Foot Exam: Your feet will be examined for proper blood flow and sensation to catch early signs of problems that could lead to foot ulcers.11

4. Vascular and Nerve Assessments: A brief check of your blood vessels and nerves helps spot risks for complications linked to diabetes.12

5. Additional Checks: Depending on your overall health, your provider may assess other body systems as needed. A full exam is not required at every visit.11
 

Treating Diabetic Foot Issues: Neuropathic Ulcer Treatment

Even with good care diabetic foot issues such as ulcers can still happen. Common treatments include:

  • Antibiotics: Your healthcare provider may prescribe oral antibiotics if ulcers and wounds become infected1. Severe infections, including bone infections (called osteomyelitis), may require intravenous antibiotics.1
  • Wound care: Although specific wound care guidance is not available for people living with diabetes, proper cleaning, dressing, and sometimes keeping weight off the area (offloading) can help with wound healing. If an ulcer is present, your healthcare provider may need to perform a procedure called debridement.3,7
  • Surgery: In severe cases, unmanaged wounds may eventually require amputation of the affected area. Be sure to ask your healthcare provider any questions that you may have should surgery become necessary.1 The alternative option would be consulting with a diabetic foot care specialist.

Stay on Your Toes

Consult your healthcare provider on what to do about foot neuropathy or any other diabetic foot issues. Regular monitoring with the CONTOUR®NEXT ONE blood glucose meter helps keep blood glucose levels in check, which is crucial for preventing foot complications in people living with diabetes.

Explore purchasing options for all Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems

Explore purchasing options for all Blood Glucose Test Strips

Explore purchasing options for all CONTOUR®NEXT Bundles

Explore purchasing options for all Complementary Diabetes Products

Explore purchasing options for KETOSTIX® and Other Diabetes Testing Supplies

Related Articles

Diabetes and Exercise
Symptoms of a Diabetic Emergency

References:

  1. Matheson EM, Bragg SW, Blackwelder RS. Diabetes-related foot infections: diagnosis and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 20211;104(4):386-394.
  2. van Netten JJ, Price PE, Lavery LA, et al; International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot. Prevention of foot ulcers in the at-risk patient with diabetes: a systematic review. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2016;32 Suppl 1:84-98. doi: 10.1002/dmrr.2701.
  3. Embil JM, Albalawi Z, Bowering K, Trepman E: Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee. Foot Care. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42 Suppl 1:S222-S227. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.020.
  4. Diabetes Canada. Nerve damage & amputation. Diabetes Canada. Accessed December 3, 2024. Available from https://www.diabetes.ca/managing-my-diabetes/preventing-complications/nerve-damage---amputation.
  5. Akkus G, Sert M. Diabetic foot ulcers: A devastating complication of diabetes mellitus continues non-stop in spite of new medical treatment modalities. World J Diabetes. 2022;13(12):1106-1121. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v13.i12.1106.
  6. Barnes JA, Eid MA, Creager MA, Goodney PP. Epidemiology and risk of amputation in patients with diabetes mellitus and peripheral artery disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2020;40(8):1808-1817. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.120.314595. 
  7. Armstrong DG, Tan TW, Boulton AJM, Bus SA. Diabetic foot ulcers: a review. JAMA. 2023 3;330(1):62-75. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.10578.
  8. Rahimi-Nedjat RK, Sagheb K, Sagheb K, Hormes M, Walter C, Al-Nawas B. The role of diabetes mellitus on the formation of severe odontogenic abscesses-a retrospective study. Clin Oral Investig. 2021 Nov;25(11):6279-6285. doi: 10.1007/s00784-021-03926-4. Epub 2021 May 13. PMID: 33982168; PMCID: PMC8531061.
  9. Hu H, Wang C, Liang K, He Q, Song J, Guo X, Hou X, Chen L, Yan F. Relationship Between Muscle Cramps and Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2022 Mar 15;15:827-837. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S352735. PMID: 35313678; PMCID: PMC8934164.
  10. Orchard A, Viljoen A, van Vuuren S. Antimicrobial Essential Oil Combinations to Combat Foot Odour. Planta Med. 2018 Jul;84(9-10):662-673. doi: 10.1055/a-0592-8022. Epub 2018 Mar 26. PMID: 29579744.
  11. Facp, R. K. M. P. (n.d.). Type 1 diabetes mellitus clinical presentation: history, physical examination, complications. Emedicine.Medscape. Retrieved March 3, 2025, from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/117739-clinical?form=fpf
  12. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “Autonomic Neuropathy | NIDDK.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 11 Dec. 2019, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/nerve-damage-diabetic-neuropathies/autonomic-neuropathy.