11/13/2025
Tomorrow is World Diabetes Day - With 537 million people living with diabetes worldwide, it’s estimated that 7 out of 10 people with diabetes are of working age. This means that people are balancing the demands of home life, work obligations, and managing a disease that requires constant self-monitoring.
While there are many interventions and lifestyle changes necessary to successfully manage and truly thrive after diagnosis, foot care is a very important piece of that puzzle.
Daily foot checks are imperative due to diabetes affect on nerve function and blood flow, increasing the risk of skin breakdown, infection, poor wound healing, and amputation. You can perform these independently, with a mirror, enlist family and friends, or care workers who help with dressing and bathing. A basic foot check involves visually inspecting all areas of your feet for skin and nail changes, temperature and sensation differences, and monitoring for moisture between the toes and wound formation.
The CDC suggests visiting your doctor if you notice any of the following:
- tingling, burning, or pain
- a change in colour and/or temperature
- dry, cracked skin
- loss of feeling or ability to sense heat or cold
- thick, yellow toenails
- loss of hair on your toes, feet, and lower legs
- skin breakdown between your toes
- ingrown nail or sore, such as a blister, ulcer or infected corn
While a Foot Nurse can help you with all of these, your doctor is your FIRST visit.
Northern Health Advanced Foot Care Inc’s goal since inception has been to help provide education and care to help PREVENT every single one of the listed items above. If any of these issues arise our Foot Nurse will help support you in the treatment process, in conjunction with the rest of your care team: family doctor, diabetes nurse, wound care nurse, dietician, etc.
Book-in to see how we can help prevent negative foot-related outcomes of diabetes: NHAFC.ca
We understand that diabetes disproportionally affects the working class, as such Northern Health Advanced Foot Care Inc. offers evening and weekend appointments to fit most schedules.
