If you have been diagnosed with a loss of protective sensation in your feet or if you have symptoms of an arterial disease but the structure of your feet and joint functions are normal, you belong to foot ulcer risk category 1. Your risk of a long-term diabetic foot ulcer is twice as high compared to a person without the above-mentioned changes in their feet.
A foot examination and new risk assessment are conducted every 6–12 months. Your nurse or doctor can provide you with instructions regarding self-care and self-monitoring as well as the choice of suitable footwear.
Instructions for you, if your risk category is 1:
Due to the diagnosed loss of protective sensation in your feet, you can no longer trust in feeling any damage that occurs to your feet. In self-care, it is important to regularly check your feet daily.
Treat diabetes to the best of your ability, remember to take care of the health of your arteries through your lifestyle choices and keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at a good level. It enables you to stop the progress of nerve damage and decreased circulation.
If you have no foot therapy-related problems and you able to treat your feet yourself, there is no need for frequent visits to see a podiatrist or foot therapist.