Diabetic foot

Diabetes can affect the foot in two ways that add up: it reduces sensation —so a wound, a rubbing spot or a stone in the shoe can go unnoticed— and it makes circulation harder, so anything that is injured takes longer to heal. That combination is what turns a blister or a badly cut nail into something worth watching closely.

A podiatric review in diabetes is not chiropody under another name: it includes assessing sensation in the foot and the state of the skin, looking at where footwear presses, caring for nails and hard skin with risk in mind, and agreeing how often to come back. Most of the work is prevention, and it works: regular checks and knowing what to look for at home is what prevents most complications.