Why check your feet every day?

Over time, high blood sugar can damage the nerves and blood vessels in your feet. Nerve damage can make your feet numb, so you might not feel a pebble in your shoe or a blister from new shoes. Poor blood flow means small sores heal more slowly.

A tiny cut that goes unnoticed can become a foot ulcer or a serious infection. The good news is that a daily foot check takes only a few minutes and is one of the best ways to protect your feet.

Your 5-minute routine

Pick a time you will remember, like after your bath or before bed. Sit down in a well-lit spot. Then go through these steps:

  • Look at the tops, bottoms, heels and sides of both feet, and between every toe.
  • Use a hand mirror, or ask a family member or caregiver to look, if you can’t see the bottoms of your feet.
  • Look for cuts, sores, blisters, red spots, swelling, cracks, calluses, corns, ingrown toenails or changes in color.
  • Feel for warm spots or areas that feel different from the rest of your foot.
  • Check your socks for spots of blood or drainage.
  • Before putting on shoes, feel inside them for stones, rough seams or anything sharp.

Wash, dry and moisturize

  • Wash your feet every day in warm, not hot, water. Test the water with your elbow or a thermometer first, since numb feet can’t sense heat well.
  • Don’t soak your feet. Soaking can dry out and crack the skin.
  • Dry gently, especially between your toes.
  • Put lotion on the tops and bottoms of your feet, but not between your toes, where extra moisture can lead to infection.
  • Never use heating pads or hot water bottles on your feet.

Protect your feet

  • Wear shoes and socks at all times, even indoors.
  • Choose clean, dry socks without tight bands or thick seams.
  • Wear shoes that fit well and give your toes room. Break in new shoes slowly.
  • Trim toenails straight across and smooth the edges with a nail file. If your nails are thick, curved or hard to reach, ask your foot doctor to trim them.
  • Don’t cut corns or calluses yourself or use over-the-counter corn removers. Ask your doctor or podiatrist for help.
  • Ask your doctor to check your feet at every visit, and have a full foot exam at least once a year.
  • Keep your blood sugar in the range your doctor set, and if you smoke, ask for help quitting.

Signs of nerve or blood flow problems

Your daily check is also a chance to notice changes that mean your feet need more care. Tell your doctor at your next visit if you notice any of these, even if you have no sores:

  • Numbness, tingling, burning or a pins-and-needles feeling
  • Feet that feel cold, or skin that looks pale, bluish or shiny
  • Less hair on your feet and lower legs than before
  • Pain in your calves when you walk that eases when you rest
  • Changes in the shape of your feet or toes

When to call your doctor

Call your doctor or wound care team right away if you find a cut, blister or sore that is not starting to heal after a few days, or any sore on the bottom of your foot. Also call for redness, warmth, swelling, drainage, a bad smell, an ingrown toenail, or a callus with dried blood under it.

Get emergency care or call 911 if part of your foot turns black or blue, if redness spreads quickly, or if you have a foot wound along with fever, chills, confusion, or very high blood sugar. If you already have a foot wound, follow the care plan and dressing orders from your own clinician.

This guide is general education, not medical advice. Follow the care plan from your own clinician. For a medical emergency, call 911.