Diabetes affects many body systems, and foot problems are one of the major health threats faced by people with diabetes. About 67 percent of lower-extremity amputations performed in the United States result from complications caused by diabetes, according to the National Diabetes Education Program.

Three conditions in particular that are associated with diabetes leave patients more vulnerable to serious foot problems:

• Increased risk of infections. Elevated levels of glucose (blood sugar) can impair the immune system’s ability to fight infections. This slow healing allows time for the skin to break down and ulcerate. Once infection sets in, it can spread throughout the foot and into the bone (osteomyelitis). An unhealed wound can lead to gangrene, the death of tissues. Eventually, patients may have to resort to a life-saving amputation to stop the spread of the infection.
  
  
• Peripheral neuropathy. This type of nerve damage often results in numbness in the legs and feet of people with diabetes. Because diabetic individuals have less feeling in their legs, they are also less likely to recognize an injury when it occurs.
  
  

  

• Peripheral arterial disease. People with diabetes are at increased risk for the buildup of fatty plaques in their arteries (atherosclerosis). As their arteries become blocked and hardened, blood flow to the legs is constricted. This deprives injured tissues from receiving the oxygen, nutrients and even medications they need to recover.

Although foot problems can be serious, they are also often preventable. It is essential for patients to keep their glucose levels as normal as possible. In addition, patients can greatly reduce their odds of developing serious foot problems by:

• Performing regular foot inspections and foot care
• Maintaining good foot hygiene
• Choosing correct footwear
• Receiving periodic foot exams