Kentucky has been placed in the so called “Diabetes Belt”.  Kentucky is included in that list along with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and the entire state of Mississippi.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dubbed southeastern United States as the “diabetes belt”.  Almost 26 million people in the United States have diabetes.  Almost 12% of the people who live within the diabetes belt have the disease compared to 8.5% in the rest of the country.   From the health surveys, the CDC found people living in the diabetes belt were more likely to be overweight and obese and have inactive lifestyles, which are factors of having this disease.

Diabetes affects all systems of the body including the neurological, vascular, dermatological and muscular systems. One of the most vital ways to prevent complications associated with diabetes is to educate yourself.

When was the last time you had your feet examined? If you have diabetes, routine foot care with a podiatrist should be as regular as your checkups for your eyes and kidneys. When you are a diabetic it is easier to prevent problems than to treat them later on.

Diabetes and Your Feet: Foot Care Tips

• Always keep your feet warm. As a diabetic you may lose the ability to notice if your feet or cold. However, you should never use a heating pad on your feet; you could get a burn and not feel it.
• Do not smoke or sit with your legs crossed. Both of these activities can decrease the circulation to your legs and feet.
• Always keep your feet moisturized. Apply moisturizer to the tops and bottoms of your feet daily; avoid putting it between your toes.
• It is important to wash your feet daily with soap and warm water. Don’t soak your feet this can cause your feet to dry out. And be sure to dry your feet really well, especially between your toes.
• Never attempt to trim calluses on your own. Even the smallest nick can result in a sore.
• Most importantly, check your feet every day. This allows you to notice complications promptly and seek appropriate medical attention.

Cumberland Foot & Ankle Center's associate physician Dr. Jamie Settles Carter says “If you have diabetes it is important to establish care with a podiatrist (foot and ankle specialist), even if your diabetes is controlled, you should visit a podiatrist at least once a year.”  Having diabetes can affect your feet in two ways nerve damage and poor blood flow. “But having additional foot problems not related to diabetes can make treating and healing those problems difficult” says Dr. Carter.  These problems can included bunions, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, corns and calluses or other types of foot deformities.

All the doctors at Cumberland Foot & Ankle Center are trained in advanced diabetic foot and ankle care. This includes routine care, such as trimming toenails, wound treatment and healing, amputation prevention and a diabetic shoe program.

If you or a loved one has diabetes and would like more information or to schedule an appointment   fracture contact your local Podiatrists at Cumberland Foot & Ankle Centers.  606-679-2773 or toll free    1-800-600-6740. Find us on Facebook and Twitter. ! We have many convenient locations: Somerset, Corbin, Stanford, Danville, Barbourville, and Williamsburg.