It's Diabetes Awareness Month!

Dr. Rosenstein,

       Can you fit for diabetic shoes at your practice?

Yes we can! Our physicians have several years of experience in fitting for diabetic shoes. Our office also has a shoe store on site for all your shoe fitting needs.

Prevalence of Diabetes

Total: 20.8 million people- Seven percent of the U.S. population has diabetes.

Diagnosed: 14.6 million people

Undiagnosed: 6.2 million people

Prevalence of Diabetes amoung people 20 years or older

Age 20 years or older: 20.6 million. Nine percent of all people in this age group have diabetes.

Age 60 years or older: 10.3 million. Almost 21 percent of all people in this age group have diabetes.

Men: 10.9 million. Close to 11 percent of all men aged 20 years or older have diabetes.

Women: 9.7 million. Nearly nine percent of all women aged 20 years or older have diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes is at least 2 to 4 times higher among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino American women than among non-Hispanic white women.

(www.apma.org)

Diabetic Foot Care Guidelines

Diabetes can be dangerous to your feet, even a small cut could have serious consequences. Diabetes may also reduce blood flow to the feet, making harder to heal an injury or resist infection. Because of these problems, you might not notice a pebble in your shoe, so you could develop a blister, then a sore, then a stubborn infection that might cause amputation of your foot or leg.

To avoid serious foot problems that could result in losing a toe, foot or leg, be sure to follow these guidelines:

• Inspect your feet daily.
• Wash your feet in lukewarm water.
• Be gentle when bathing your feet.
• Moisturize your feet- but not between your toes.
• Cut nails carefully- and straight across.
• Never trim corns or calluses.
• Wear clean, dry socks.
• Avoid the wrong type of socks.
• Wear socks to bed.
• Shake out your shoes and inspect the inside before wearing.
• Keep your feet warm and dry.
•  Never walk barefoot.
• Take care of your diabetes.
• Don’t smoke.

Of course you should get periodic foot exams done by your podiatrist.

For more information or to schedule an appointment please contact Affiliated Podiatrists, Inc. at

440-946-5858 or visit our website www.DrRobertRosenstein.com

And remember......"When Your Feet Hurt, You Hurt All Over!"