Running is a great form of exercise, especially for diabetics
Running is a fantastic kind of exercise if you have diabetes. However, you must protect your feet as well as your blood sugar levels. So, we will concentrate on the hazards of running with diabetes today, and provide training safety advice for diabetics and all runners.
Developing a non-healing wound can be one of the most serious and devastating complications for a diabetic patient. These wounds or open sores are also called diabetic ulcers, and they frequently occur on the foot. Diabetic foot ulcers are prone to infections, and this puts patients at a higher risk of hospitalization and need for surgery or amputation.
Making healthy food, checking your blood sugar, taking time to be active, keeping up with doctor’s appointments, and taking medicines are some of the things diabetic patients manage. However, through this busy schedule, the feet are the last thing to be remembered but daily diabetic foot care will help prevent diabetic foot complications.
Have you ever taken off your socks or shoes and saw blood, and had no idea how it happened? Well, 15 percent of patients with diabetes suffer from diabetic foot ulcers. A diabetic foot ulcer is an open injury or sore generally situated on the lower part of the foot. It starts from normal factors such as taking an extra-long walk or having a new pair of shoes. The ulcer starts as a small blister or callus on the foot, then the problem progresses.
A wound occurs when the internal tissue is exposed to the skin, due to an external or internal injury. Most people conduct wound care at home but consult a podiatrist for proper diabetic wound care. Seek diabetic foot ulcer treatment from a podiatrist to avoid the development of complications that may lead to hospitalization of patients. Foot ulcers for diabetic patients can lead to amputation if wound care treatment is not well done.
Wound care treatment
There are basic principles for wound care; ensure you wear protective gear when attending to a wound.
Hemostasis – Applied to significant wounds with bleeding to stop the bleeding. The bleeding is stopped by reducing the bleeding or aiding the hemostasis process. Some of the techniques used include elevation, suturing, pressure, or tourniquet.
Cleaning the wound – This promotes healing and reduces the infection. Five main steps of wound cleaning are
Disinfect all around the wound without getting detergents and alcohol into the injured area.
Decontaminate by removing foreign bodies from the wound.
Debride any tissues around the wound.
Wet the wound with saline if no obvious contamination can be seen. Saline should be stored in a sterile container.
For heavily soiled wounds, open foot fractures, puncture wounds, and animal bites use antibiotics. It is advisable to introduce antibiotics at the first sign of wound infection.
Skin closure – This aids the wound healing using skin adhesive strips, tissue adhesive glue, sutures, and staples are some skin closure techniques for the edge of the wounds.
Dress the wound – This effectively reduces contamination and infection of the injury. When dressing, the first layer should be saline-soaked, followed by an absorbent material layer to attract wound exudates. Finally, use a soft gauze to secure the dressing in place. It is advisable to get tetanus immunization if not already done.
Diabetic foot ulcer treatment
Patients using insulin are at a higher risk of developing a foot ulcer. Also, for overweight people or people who use alcohol and tobacco the risk is high. A diabetic foot ulcer develops due to lack of feeling in the foot, trauma, foot deformities, and irritation. Pain may not be felt by diabetic patients. Seek podiatric medical care for diabetic foot ulcer treatment. This reduces the risk of wound infection leading to amputation. To appropriately treat a diabetic foot ulcer, ensure that you:
Prevent infections.
Offload or take the pressure off the wound.
Regularly remove dead tissue and skin from the wound.
Apply dressing and medication to the ulcer.
Manage blood glucose under tight control to avoid ulcer infection.
Clean the wound daily and dress it.
Ensure adequate circulation on the ulcerated area with the help of a podiatrist.
Surgical treatment – If other ulcer treatments are not effective, surgical management may be used to correct deformities and shave or excision the bone.
The time needed for healing depends on different factors including wound care management used and the diabetic foot ulcer treatment used.
Over at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center located in Houston, Texas, and covering surrounding areas like Cypress, and Katy, TX. Ejodamen Shobowale, DPM and her highly skilled staff provide personalized comprehensive care for all your podiatry and sport medicine needs. Whether the issue is foot-related like hammertoes, or toenail fungus or involves pain in the heel , nerves, or joints, Dr. Sho, as she is fondly called, can get you back on your feet in no time.
How do obesity and diabetes impact the feet? Foot health trends are demanding significant changes in foot health services globally and a lot of orthotic materials are designed for multifaceted foot conditions. The issues driving the demand of specific foot care are; the increase of people with diabetes and those who are obese. They have a characteristic of foot health issues that need pressure-relieving orthotic materials and wider-fit footwear. Diabetes and being overweight are amongst the main issues, leaving the population susceptible to diabetes. If you are looking for some expert advice on diabetic foot care, you may want to seek help from a Houston foot specialist. Feel free to contact our office to make an appointment for your diabetic foot problems. Our foot and ankle specialist, Dr. Ejodamen Shobowale can provide you with the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet
Obesity
The World Health Organization defines obesity and overweight as excessive fat that impairs health. Obesity is when the body mass index (BMI) is greater than or equal to 30 but when it is greater or equal to 25 you are overweight. This is caused by an energy imbalance between consumption of high energy food and low outflow due to decreased physical activity. Obesity is effectively addressed when you focus on physical activity and nutrition. One of the consequences of obesity is it leads to diabetes and different foot health issues.
The body increases in size, fat and mass distribution on the abdomen and truck. This limits balance and stability; the foot shape and size increase in width and depth. The feet motion changes when standing and walking. Overweight individuals walk slower as a result of reduced stride length and double support needed for the body. The posture is different at the trunk because joint angles in gait in ankle joint prolong the plantar flexion and increase abduction at the everted heel and the hip
Foot health proposed solutions increase foot stability to maintain physical activity that will raise the burning of energy to reduce weight. There is a great association between obesity and diabetes because of increased BMI and waist measurements.
Diabetes
Diabetes is commonly caused by the increase to decrease of blood sugar leading to changes in the body. This leads to long-term complications of macro-vascular problems which sometimes lead to amputations. Fifty percent of diabetic patients who have suffered for more than 20 years have an affected nerve function which stiffens the plantar soft tissue. There are specific changes in the lower limbs and feet leading to foot deformities. There is an increase in callous formation, diabetic blister, and diabetic foot ulceration due to increased pressure to the forefoot. There is reduced walking speed, tremor, and greater stance widths. The footpads lose elasticity and thicken causing the metatarsal head to be exposed to glucose, which can cause diabetic foot infection. This reduces the capability of shock absorption of the feet.
It is estimated only 20% of diabetic patients wear correct fitting footwear. Suitable footwear distributes pressure from body weight evenly and prevents foot ulceration. Custom molded insoles reduce plantar pressure when walking and standing.
These specific user needs for diabetes foot, call for specialized foot care from a podiatrist and investment in proper footwear. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office located in Houston, TX. Our diabetic foot care specialist can handle all of your foot and ankle issues. We will provide you with the latest diagnostic and treatment methods for all foot related issues