PODIATRIST STATES THAT PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY IS THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM IN DIABETICS

posted: Jul. 06, 2017.

 

 

The most common foot problem if you have diabetes is peripheral neuropathy, a disorder of the nerves. Doctors believe the biggest culprit is poor blood sugar control over time. “I tell patients that it’s as if their nerves have been short-circuited and nerve signals can’t get down to the feet,” says Dr. R. Randal Aaranson, a podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon at Orthopedic Associates in St. Louis. Neuropathy can affect other parts of your body, including your legs, hands and arms, but it’s most common in the feet.

 

Dr. R. Randal Aaranson

 

 

Aaranson recommends wearing durable shoes at all times – even at your house. “I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen step on thumbtacks and nails at home,” Aaranson says. Wear shoes in outdoor settings where your friends may go barefoot, including the beach. Hot sand and seashells could cause an injury, and you wouldn’t know it.

 

Source: Vanessa Caceres, US News & World Report [4/20/17]

 

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PMP News.  

 

Brought to you by Doctor John A. Hardy, owner of Toronto's Foot Clinic, Academy Foot and Orthotic Clinics.