Diabetic Foot Assessment

Individuals diagnosed with diabetes can end up having many serious and costly health complications, including foot ulcerations and amputations. It’s important to prevent and address these factors so a complete diabetic foot/lower leg risk assessment should be mandatory for every diabetic patient regardless of age.

It’s important that patients are educated about diabetes and the steps that should be taken to prevent potential complications and this exam will give you a base line and identify any risk factors that could result in foot ulcerations and possible amputations.

A comprehensive diabetic foot risk assessment should be repeated every 12 months and include following:

  • Patient health history

  • Dietary/nutritional habits

  • Neurological exam – testing the nerve status to determine if there is any peripheral neuropathy

  • Vascular exam – testing circulation, blood pressure, and pulses in the lower leg and foot

  • Dermatological exam – examining skin and nails to see if there are any abnormal changes
    or potential for skin irritation/ulceration

  • Musculoskeletal exam – testing muscles, joints, gait pattern, orthopaedic abnormalities, plantar pressure pattern

  • Footwear – proper sizing and fit, making sure it is the right shoe for your foot type.

Foot complications in people with diabetes can be reduced by preventative measures, such as good glucose control, diabetes education and self-management, not smoking, sensation testing, appropriately fitted foot wear, routine foot examination and chiropody nail and callus care.