Diabetes guide
Everyday diabetes foot care
Learn what to look for when you check your feet and when to call your care team.
Fight Diabetes For Good editorial desk · Last reviewed:
Build a check into something you do every day
Pick a moment when you usually take your shoes or socks off, such as after a shower or before bed. Sit somewhere with good light and look at the tops of your feet, the heels, the soles, and between your toes. If you cannot comfortably see the bottom of your feet, use a mirror or ask someone to help. A regular time makes it easier to notice a change from one day to the next.
Diabetes can affect feeling and circulation in the feet. When feeling is reduced, a blister or sore may cause little pain. Look for broken skin, redness, swelling, a change in color, a blister, or a spot that feels warmer than usual. If you are unsure whether something is new, note the date and call your care team for advice rather than waiting to see whether it hurts.
Know who to call about a change
Call your healthcare team promptly if you find a new sore, blister, redness, swelling, or a change in color or warmth. Tell them when you noticed it, whether the skin is open, and whether you have had ulcers or circulation problems before. Ask how soon you need to be seen. If you cannot reach your usual clinic, follow its after-hours instructions or seek urgent care for rapidly worsening symptoms.
Ask your clinician for the name of the office that handles urgent foot concerns and keep the number with your medications or on your phone. If someone helps you with foot checks, make sure they also know the number. A photo can help describe where a change is when the care team asks for one. It is still important to contact the team when you notice a problem.
Wash, dry, and protect the skin
Wash your feet with warm water and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes. Ask your care team to show you how to check water temperature safely if you have reduced feeling. If the skin is dry, ask about a moisturizer for the tops and bottoms of your feet. Keep lotion out of the spaces between your toes.
Skip soaking and ask about care for thick nails, ingrown nails, corns, or calluses. Avoid cutting a callus or using a corn-removal product on your own. If it is hard to reach your toes, tell your care team. A foot specialist can help you decide what care you can do at home and what to have done at a visit.
Check shoes before putting them on
Look inside each shoe for pebbles, torn lining, or a folded insole. Feel for seams or edges that could rub. Choose shoes that fit, with room for your toes, and wear socks that are comfortable. If you have had an ulcer, reduced feeling, or a change in foot shape, ask your clinician if you need particular footwear or a fitting.
Wear footwear indoors as well as outside to protect your feet. If you buy new shoes, check your feet after wearing them and tell the clinic about any rubbing or new marks. If your usual shoes suddenly feel tight on one foot, take a look for swelling and get advice. Have your shoes with you at a foot exam if you want help seeing where they rub.
Ask what happens at a foot exam
Your healthcare team can check skin, nails, foot shape, circulation, and feeling. Ask how often you should have a complete foot exam and whether your feet should be checked at regular visits. People with reduced feeling or a history of ulcers may need more frequent checks. Ask whether it makes sense to see a podiatrist and what signs should prompt a call between visits.
Take a few notes to your appointment. Tell the clinician about burning, tingling, numbness, new difficulty walking, and changes you have noticed in either foot. Bring the shoes you wear most and explain if you stand for long periods at work. If you are worried about activity, the walking guide has questions you can bring to the visit.
Make the routine work in your home
If the bathroom has poor lighting, check your feet while sitting near a bright lamp. Keep a mirror somewhere you can reach easily and make a plan with a family member if you need help. If you cannot see changes clearly, ask your care team which parts someone else should check for you. Keep the floor clear near the chair so you can move safely.
You can use a plain notebook or the notes area of a daily logbook to record a change and when you called the clinic. If you keep a log, make it simple enough to read at the next appointment. Useful notes might include where a shoe rubbed, what you were wearing that day, and what the clinician told you to do next.
Where to read more
The CDC and ADA sources below explain foot checks and when to seek care. For a description of an optional commercial e-book on the topic, see our Neuropathy No More review. It describes the format and what to check before buying. Take questions about tingling, numbness, or foot wounds to your healthcare team.
If you have just been diagnosed, use the appointment checklist to ask about your first foot exam, your risk factors, and how to contact the clinic outside normal hours. You can add those details to your daily routine as soon as you get home.
Common questions
How often should I look at my feet?
Check daily. If you cannot see your soles, use a mirror or ask someone to help you look.
Should I wait if a blister does not hurt?
Call your care team promptly about a new blister or sore. Reduced feeling can make a problem hard to notice by pain alone.
Can I remove a callus myself?
Ask your clinician or foot specialist about callus care. Avoid cutting it or using a medicated remover on your own.