Diabetes can be dangerous to your feet — even a small cut can produce serious consequences. Two changes in the body explain why. First, diabetes can cause nerve damage, or peripheral neuropathy, which reduces feeling in the feet so that cuts, blisters, or pressure points can go unnoticed. Second, diabetes can reduce blood flow to the feet, which slows healing and lowers the body's ability to fight infection.
Together, reduced sensation and reduced circulation mean that a minor injury — a blister from a new shoe, a small cut while trimming a nail — can progress to a wound, ulcer, or infection before it's ever felt. That is why proactive, daily foot care and regular professional checkups are such an important part of managing diabetes.
What are the warning signs to watch for?
Because reduced sensation can mask early problems, visual inspection matters as much as how your feet feel. Signs that need prompt attention include:
- Cuts, blisters, or sores that aren't healing as expected
- Redness, warmth, or swelling anywhere on the foot
- Changes in skin color or temperature
- Numbness, tingling, or burning sensations
- Ingrown toenails, corns, or calluses that are painful or discolored
- Any drainage, odor, or sign of infection
If you notice any of these changes, don't wait to see if it resolves on its own — contact our office promptly. Reduced sensation from neuropathy can also contribute to more serious complications such as Charcot arthropathy, which makes early attention especially important.
Consistent daily habits are the foundation of diabetic foot care. We recommend the following routine:
- Inspect your feet daily, using a mirror if needed to check the soles and between the toes for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling, or nail changes
- Wash with lukewarm water, never hot, since reduced sensation can make it hard to judge water temperature safely
- Dry gently, especially between the toes, to prevent moisture buildup
- Moisturize daily, but avoid the area between the toes to reduce the risk of fungal infection
- Trim nails carefully, cutting straight across and never too short
- Leave corns and calluses to a professional rather than trimming them yourself
- Wear clean, dry socks daily and avoid socks with tight elastic bands
- Never walk barefoot, even indoors
- Check the inside of your shoes before putting them on to make sure nothing is caught inside
- Keep blood sugar well controlled and avoid smoking, both of which support healthy circulation and healing
Alongside the habits above, regular professional foot exams are essential for anyone with diabetes. During a diabetic foot exam, we check circulation and sensation, inspect the skin and nails closely, and look for early signs of pressure points, calluses, or skin breakdown before they progress. We also address nail and callus care that isn't safe to manage at home.
When appropriate, we recommend protective footwear or custom orthotics to redistribute pressure away from vulnerable areas, and we coordinate closely with your primary care or endocrinology team on the medical management of your diabetes.
How often should someone with diabetes have their feet checked?
Most people with diabetes benefit from a professional foot exam at least once a year, though your podiatrist may recommend more frequent visits if you have neuropathy, circulation problems, a history of foot ulcers, or other risk factors. Between visits, your own daily inspection remains your first line of defense.
The right shoes are one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect an at-risk foot. Well-fitted shoes with a roomy toe box, supportive soles, and no seams or rough spots that could rub against the skin help prevent the friction and pressure points that lead to blisters and ulcers. Breaking in new shoes gradually, rather than wearing them for a full day right away, gives you a chance to catch any hot spots before they become a problem. For patients with significant neuropathy, deformity, or a history of ulcers, specialized diabetic or protective footwear built around a custom orthotic can further reduce pressure on vulnerable areas of the foot.
Contact our office promptly if you notice any wound, redness, swelling, or change in sensation that doesn't resolve quickly, and seek same-day care for any sign of infection, a wound that isn't healing, or sudden changes in the shape or color of the foot. Regular scheduled visits, even when nothing seems wrong, are just as important as urgent care when a problem appears. When you're ready, request an appointment at either of our Northern Utah offices.
Wasatch Foot & Ankle Institute is a locally rooted podiatry practice serving Farmington, South Ogden, and the surrounding Davis and Weber County communities. Our board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians focus exclusively on the foot and ankle, including the ongoing, preventive care that diabetic patients depend on.
From routine diabetic foot exams and nail care to custom protective footwear and treatment of complications like Charcot arthropathy, we offer the full range of diabetic foot care under one roof. We treat patients from both of our clinics; learn more about our Farmington and South Ogden locations or call the office nearest you.
Medically reviewed by the physicians at Wasatch Foot & Ankle Institute. Our board-certified, fellowship-trained podiatrists provide foot and ankle care in Farmington and South Ogden, Utah. This page is for general education and is not a substitute for an in-person evaluation.
