There are a variety of reasons why
diabetics need special foot protection. The main reason is that 60-70 percent
of diabetics develop some form of neuropathy in their feet. If not taken good
care of, it will sometime develops into diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). Please see
my previous blog for details. Essentially, the elevated level of blood sugar
causes damage to your nerves, most often in the feet or legs, although it can
occur in other locations as well.
If your nerves are damaged, then you
can’t feel what I going on with your feet. Also, the elevated blood sugar can
cause decreased blood flow to your feet, slowing the healing process. Thus,
small things can easily become much bigger problems. That blister or small cut,
can easily become infected and very hard to heal.
So, where do the socks fit in? You
want socks that don’t do any damage to your feet. For example, they should be
too tight or have heavy seems on them that can cause blisters. They also need
to keep moisture away from your feet so the risk of infections is reduced.
TOP
10 Tips for choosing
These factors are not in any
particular order of importance. Also, even if you choose the perfect sock, make
sure you discard them if they get any holes in them or become worn.
- Fit: You want socks that fit. They should not be too tight, which can cause circulation and other problems. Likewise, they should not be too big, since these can cause blisters.
- Clean: Okay, messy Marvin, make sure you put on clean socks daily. If your socks are soiled then they can more easily cause infections.
- Dry: You want socks that keep your feet dry. If your feet are damp or moist, then fungus can more easily grow. This factor overlaps a variety of other factors, such as the material you choose.
- Thickness: Try and avoid a very bulky sock. Obviously, if you are going snowshoeing, you want a thick sock that can keep you warm. However, bulky socks can cause extra moisture and/or can cause bunching, which can lead to blisters, etc. Try and balance your activity level with the appropriate socks for diabetics.
- Shape: Square toes work best because they won’t squeeze your toes.
- Elastic Tops: Some socks have very tight elastic tops. Obviously, you want socks to stay up, but socks for diabetics need to not squeeze your calves/ankles too much. Many diabetic socks have a special weave on the top to keep the sock up without unduly squeezing your leg. It is therefore recommended to go for those non-elastic top one.
- Seams: The less seams the better. Large seams can cause your feet to rub unnecessarily, leading to injuries.
- Color: If at all possible, where light colored socks, so you can see if any injuries have occurred.
- Cushion Sole: As stated above, you want to avoid bulky socks. However, a little extra cushion on the sole of the sock can be helpful. As we get, ahem, older, the soles of our feet become more sensitive.
- Material: This is the big issue for diabetic socks. Some folks say man made material is better, such as acrylic. Other folks say natural material is best, such as cotton or wool.
There
are a variety of reasons why diabetics need special foot protection.
The main reason is that 60-70 percent of diabetics develop some form of
neuropathy in their feet. Essentially, the elevated level of blood sugar
causes damage to your nerves, most often in the feet or legs, although
it can occur in other locations as well.
If your nerves are damaged, then you can’t feel what I going on with your feet. Also, the elevated blood sugar can cause decreased blood flow to your feet, slowing the healing process. Thus, small things can easily become much bigger problems. That blister or small cut, can easily become infected and very hard to heal.
So, where do the socks fit in? You want socks that don’t do any damage to your feet. For example, they should be too tight or have heavy seems on them that can cause blisters. They also need to keep moisture away from your feet so the risk of infections is reduced.
- See more at: http://www.diabeteswellbeing.com/socks-for-diabetics/#sthash.KoyY14t6.dpuf
If your nerves are damaged, then you can’t feel what I going on with your feet. Also, the elevated blood sugar can cause decreased blood flow to your feet, slowing the healing process. Thus, small things can easily become much bigger problems. That blister or small cut, can easily become infected and very hard to heal.
So, where do the socks fit in? You want socks that don’t do any damage to your feet. For example, they should be too tight or have heavy seems on them that can cause blisters. They also need to keep moisture away from your feet so the risk of infections is reduced.
- See more at: http://www.diabeteswellbeing.com/socks-for-diabetics/#sthash.KoyY14t6.dpuf
There
are a variety of reasons why diabetics need special foot protection.
The main reason is that 60-70 percent of diabetics develop some form of
neuropathy in their feet. Essentially, the elevated level of blood sugar
causes damage to your nerves, most often in the feet or legs, although
it can occur in other locations as well.
If your nerves are damaged, then you can’t feel what I going on with your feet. Also, the elevated blood sugar can cause decreased blood flow to your feet, slowing the healing process. Thus, small things can easily become much bigger problems. That blister or small cut, can easily become infected and very hard to heal.
So, where do the socks fit in? You want socks that don’t do any damage to your feet. For example, they should be too tight or have heavy seems on them that can cause blisters. They also need to keep moisture away from your feet so the risk of infections is reduced.
- See more at: http://www.diabeteswellbeing.com/socks-for-diabetics/#sthash.KoyY14t6.dpuf
If your nerves are damaged, then you can’t feel what I going on with your feet. Also, the elevated blood sugar can cause decreased blood flow to your feet, slowing the healing process. Thus, small things can easily become much bigger problems. That blister or small cut, can easily become infected and very hard to heal.
So, where do the socks fit in? You want socks that don’t do any damage to your feet. For example, they should be too tight or have heavy seems on them that can cause blisters. They also need to keep moisture away from your feet so the risk of infections is reduced.
- See more at: http://www.diabeteswellbeing.com/socks-for-diabetics/#sthash.KoyY14t6.dpuf
There
are a variety of reasons why diabetics need special foot protection.
The main reason is that 60-70 percent of diabetics develop some form of
neuropathy in their feet. Essentially, the elevated level of blood sugar
causes damage to your nerves, most often in the feet or legs, although
it can occur in other locations as well.
If your nerves are damaged, then you can’t feel what I going on with your feet. Also, the elevated blood sugar can cause decreased blood flow to your feet, slowing the healing process. Thus, small things can easily become much bigger problems. That blister or small cut, can easily become infected and very hard to heal.
So, where do the socks fit in? You want socks that don’t do any damage to your feet. For example, they should be too tight or have heavy seems on them that can cause blisters. They also need to keep moisture away from your feet so the risk of infections is reduced.
- See more at: http://www.diabeteswellbeing.com/socks-for-diabetics/#sthash.KoyY14t6.dpuf
If your nerves are damaged, then you can’t feel what I going on with your feet. Also, the elevated blood sugar can cause decreased blood flow to your feet, slowing the healing process. Thus, small things can easily become much bigger problems. That blister or small cut, can easily become infected and very hard to heal.
So, where do the socks fit in? You want socks that don’t do any damage to your feet. For example, they should be too tight or have heavy seems on them that can cause blisters. They also need to keep moisture away from your feet so the risk of infections is reduced.
- See more at: http://www.diabeteswellbeing.com/socks-for-diabetics/#sthash.KoyY14t6.dpuf
