07 May, 2010

Footwear for Diabetics

A very common problem encountered by atleast 30% of diabetics in India is foot ulcers. Ulcers occur mostly at high pressure points due to undue bony prominences or ill fitting footwear. So the first step to prevent a foot ulcer is to select proper footwear.

Criteria for selection of footwear

1)Select footwear made of MCP/MCR
2)Footwear should be light in weight ( Less than 700gms/pair)
3)Soles of foot wear must be Rigid ( To avoid any penetrating injury while walking)
4)Soles should have serrated edges ( To avoid slipping)
5)Heel height should not be more than 5cm
6)Length of the shoe should allow 1/2inch gap between the end of shoe and and longest toe
7)should have a strong heel counter
8)Footwear should have velcro/laces for adjustment in cases of edema ( swelling)
9)There should be extra depth to accommodate deformities and removable insoles
10)Should have high rounded toe box
11)Inner lining of the shoe should be soft to prevent friction injuries
12)Insoles should be soft to allow redistribution of pressure

3 comments :

  1. mcp/mcr ? no ideaw what that is...
    how is that different from normal ?

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  2. MCP - Micro cellular polymer
    MCR - Micro cellular rubber
    diabetic patients have sensitive feet because of neuropathy and altered glucose metabolism. diabetic patients also need footwear which has to be soft enough to distribute the pressure equally over the foot to avoid development of callous (callous has been identified as a precursor to foot ulcer) this distribution of pressure is not possible with normal footwear. also diabetic patients have to avoid footwear with toe grips..

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi,

    Thanks for sharing these helpful tips that should be considered while buying a diabetic shoe. A shoes which is wider and deeper can also be recommended as it allow air circulation and even blood circulation in the feet of diabetic patients.

    ReplyDelete

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