Diabetic Foot Care Guidelines

Your foot care guidelines:

Wash feet daily and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes
Moisturize your feet everywhere but between the toes
Keep toenails trimmed
Use an emery board to file down sharp nail edges
Check your feet every day for sores, cuts, blisters, corns, or redness and let your doctor know
For calluses and corns, don’t use over-the-counter treatments yourself, which can cause pain and even infection
Instead, wear non medicated corn pads or lambswool to cushion corns and calluses
Consult your doctor before scrubbing away excess skin on calluses using a pumice stone or loofah, since this may lead to infection
Wear moisture-wicking socks
Before putting on your shoes, check for sharp objects like small rocks inside
Wear well-fitting shoes that don’t rub your feet
Avoid walking barefoot
Don’t soak your feet
Don’t smoke

Follow your specialist’s foot care instructions carefully

Continue these healthy foot habits daily

Helps reduce the chance of infection and problems with healing

Each year, Rothman's foot and ankle specialists help thousands of patients by diagnosing and treating a wide variety of conditions, including diabetes and its effect on feet.
As recognized leaders nationally and in the Greater Philadelphia area, our specialists offer the highest quality diabetic foot care, pulling on innovative as well as tried-and-true approaches.
Our orthopedic specialists are board-certified, fellowship-trained and have many years of extensive experience. Some have been team physicians for area professional sports teams.
Rothman specialists regularly publish research in prestigious medical journals and lecture worldwide to share their vast knowledge with the next generation of orthopedic specialists.
Our nationally recognized orthopedic team is consistently ranked among the best in the Delaware Valley by U.S. News & World Report.

Consult with a Rothman orthopedic specialist about treatments that may be right for you.