Take Care of Your Feet

Treat Your Feet to a Daily Exam

Eating healthy: working on it. Getting active: doing it. Taking medicine: as prescribed. Daily foot exams: oops.   Between 60% and 70% of people with diabetes have diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), and feet and legs are most often affected. If nerve damage causes you to lose feeling in your feet, you could get a cut or blister and not know it. Without treatment, a small sore can become a hard-to-heal infection that can threaten your health. Daily foot checks can help stop these problems in their tracks.

There are lots of other things you can do to protect your feet and keep them healthy: • Always wear shoes and socks or slippers—never go barefoot. • Trim your toenails straight across. • Get active in a foot-friendly way, like swimming or walking. Find more important tips on keeping your feet in shape in our Diabetes and Your Feet feature. Your feet will thank you!

For More Information: CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation  Take Good Care of Your Feet Diabetes Features & Spotlights CDC Diabetes on Facebook @CDCDiabetes on Twitter