04/03/2026
⚠️ A hot, swollen foot in someone with diabetes should always be treated as an emergency until proven otherwise.
Diabetes is something you often can’t see but the damage it causes throughout the body is very real.
A suspected case of Charcot foot has recently been identified in someone with Type 2 diabetes for over 10 years and severe neuropathy.
Neuropathy means the nerves are damaged, so the person cannot properly feel pain, pressure or injury in their feet. Because of this people can continue to walk on an injured foot without realising damage is happening.
One of the biggest warning signs is a foot that becomes hot, red and swollen.
This can be a condition called Charcot foot, where the bones weaken and fracture and the structure of the foot can begin to collapse if it isn’t managed quickly.
The patient has now been sent for urgent X-rays so the bones and joints can be assessed. Even if early X-rays appear normal the foot must still be protected and off-loaded while further investigations take place.
This case is very close to home for me this patient is my own mam.
And just because I’m a podiatrist doesn’t mean the people closest to me are protected from the effects of diabetes.
Even with years of advice, reminders and education diabetes still requires the person living with it to take control of their own health. Unfortunately, in this case it hasn’t been managed as well as it should have been.
This is exactly why I try to educate as many people as possible about diabetes and foot health. I see the complications and side effects far too often and I never want people to reach this stage if it can be prevented.
Diabetes doesn’t just affect the feet. Over time it can affect the nerves, circulation, heart, kidneys, eyes and the body’s ability to heal.
The difficult part is that you often cannot see the damage happening until complications appear.
If you have diabetes:
• Keep your blood sugars controlled
• Attend regular health checks
• Check your feet daily
• Never ignore heat, swelling, redness or wounds.
Your feet are often the first place your body shows that something is wrong. If you or someone you know has diabetes, please take it seriously.
