Diabetic Foot Care & Assessments

Why Diabetes Changes Foot Care

Diabetes affects the feet in two important and separate ways. It can reduce sensation (peripheral neuropathy), and it can reduce blood flow (peripheral arterial disease).

Each matters on its own. Together they matter a great deal more: if you cannot feel a rubbing shoe, you will not adjust it, and if blood supply is reduced, the resulting damage heals slowly. The usual warning system — pain — is exactly the thing that has been dulled.

Signs worth acting on

• Numbness, tingling or burning in the feet
• Reduced ability to feel heat, cold or pain
• Cuts, blisters or sores that are slow to heal
• Dry, cracked skin, or changes in foot colour or temperature
• Cramping or pain in the legs when walking that eases with rest

What increases the risk

• Long-standing diabetes, or blood glucose that has been difficult to control
• Loss of protective sensation
• Reduced circulation to the feet
• Foot deformities, or areas of high pressure under the foot
• Smoking
• A previous foot ulcer or amputation, which is the strongest single risk factor

What a Diabetic Foot Assessment Involves

A diabetic foot assessment is a structured check rather than a general appointment. It establishes your current risk level so that the right review interval can be set. It usually includes:

• Testing sensation, to establish whether protective feeling is intact
• Checking circulation, including pulses in the foot
• Examining the skin and nails for damage, infection or areas of pressure
• Looking at foot shape and pressure points, and how you load the foot when walking
• Reviewing your footwear, which is where a surprising number of problems begin
• Agreeing a review schedule appropriate to what we find

You will leave knowing your risk category, what to check at home, and what would warrant contacting us before your next scheduled visit.

Ongoing Care We Provide

• Safe care of nails, corns and calluses, to prevent skin breakdown
• Early detection and management of ulcers, wounds and infection
• Footwear and offloading advice to reduce pressure points
• Custom orthotics to redistribute load where high pressure is contributing
• A regular review schedule, and clear guidance on daily self-care

Where a problem needs care beyond podiatry — for example a wound requiring medical or vascular input — we will say so and work alongside your GP or specialist rather than managing it in isolation.

Contact Us Promptly If

• You notice a new cut, blister, crack or sore anywhere on your foot
• An area becomes red, warm, swollen or begins to discharge
• Part of your foot changes colour, or becomes cold or unusually painful
• You feel a change in sensation, or find you cannot feel something you could before

With reduced sensation, a foot problem can be significant before it is uncomfortable. Checking early is always reasonable.

Common Questions

What happens during a diabetic foot assessment?

We test sensation and circulation, examine the skin and nails, check foot shape and pressure points, review your footwear and how you walk, then set a review interval based on your risk. You leave knowing your risk category and what to watch for at home.

How often should I have my feet checked if I have diabetes?

It depends on your risk level. People with intact sensation and good circulation need checks less often than those with neuropathy, reduced blood flow or a previous ulcer. We set the interval after assessing you rather than applying a single rule to everyone.

Can I claim diabetic foot care through Medicare?

Podiatry can be claimable under a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, which your GP arranges. We bulk bill that item with a small gap. Our funding page sets out the current arrangements, and reception can confirm before you book.

Should I trim my own nails and calluses if I have diabetes?

Nails can often be managed at home if you can see and reach them comfortably and your sensation is intact. Corns and calluses are better left to a podiatrist, and over-the-counter corn removers are not recommended with diabetes. If in doubt, ask us at your next visit.

This page is general information about a common foot condition and is not a diagnosis. This page does not replace advice from your GP or diabetes care team. Last reviewed September 2026 by the podiatry team at The Foot and Ankle Specialists.