WHAT IS DIABETES?
Diabetes, also known as Diabetes Mellitus, is a serious chronic health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. The food you eat is broken down into sugar (glucose) and released into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy.
With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes correctly. Over time, if diabetes is left untreated it can lead to serious health problems like heart disease, blindness, strokes, and kidney failure.
Diabetes and the Feet
Diabetes can cause two major problems that can affect your feet: Diabetic Neuropathy and Peripheral Vascular Disease.
Diabetes can damage your nerves and can cause tingling, pain, burning, stinging or weakness. However, damaged nerves in your legs and feet can also cause loss of feeling in the foot,not allowing you to feel heat, cold, or pain in the foot. You can injure or cut your foot and not know it, which could get worse and lead to infection.
Diabetes also affects the flow of blood through your legs, so it takes longer for a sore or cut to heal. Poor blood flow is called "peripheral vascular disease." If you have a non-healing because of poor blood flow, you are at risk for developing ulcers or gangrene.
Besides these two major health problems, foot deformities, such as bunions or hammertoes, can also create pressure points that can result in foot ulcerations.
How To Find Shoes For Diabetes
Key Features of Diabetic Shoes
Diabetics who may have peripheral neuropathy are at risk for factors that can lead to ulceration and possibly amputation. Diabetic shoes and inserts are designed to help reduce the risk of skin breakdown and redistribute pressure on the foot.
However, in order to be considered Diabetic Footwear, certain design criteria need to be met. The shoe needs to accommodate the foot so there is plenty of room in the toe box. The insole needs to be thick and removable to accommodate a diabetic insert and the shoe also needs to be available in extra-wide widths.
12 Key features of Diabetic Shoes
- Soft, preferably seamless, upper material
- Strechable or moldable upper
- Wide deep toe box
- Full and half sizes and multiple widths.
- Removable insole
- Adjustable closure
- Stable wide midfoot
- Lightweight
- Toe Spring
- Delayed Heel Strike
- Ideally machine washable.
For more information on other design features click here: Shoes For Swollen Feet
Pedors Shoes for Diabetics
One of our best selling diabetic shoes for women is the Mary Jane Stretch Shoe. It is perfect for those with diabetic foot pain and swelling, sore feet, corns, bunions, hammertoes, overlapping toes, arthritis, and other foot related conditions.
What are Orthopedic Shoes?
Orthopedic shoes or orthopedic footwear are simply shoes created around the natural form of your foot to provide stability and comfort for persons suffering with foot, ankle, or knee pain. Orthopedic shoes are fitted to help people find pain relief from diabetes, swollen feet, lymphedema, bunions, hammertoes, arthritis, and other foot-related issues that cause pain.
Orthopedic shoes are also designed to accommodate an orthotic device to help those needing arch support, alignment, and stability.
These shoes are also made for those who have pain and discomfort due to edema, bunions, diabetic foot pain, hammertoes, and other foot related conditions.
Shoe Inserts for Diabetics
Triple Layer Medical Grade Inserts provide Incredible comfort for those with diabetes or any painful foot related conditions. The top layer molds to your feet over time to reduce pressure points and hot spots. The middle layer adds "bounce" and the bottom layer provides structure, support, and stability.
Tips for Selecting Diabetic Shoes
People with diabetes need to be very careful with the shoes they wear. There are several features to consider when choosing a shoe if you are diabetic. Avoid shoes with prominent seams, stitching or rough edges.
- Shoes should be soft and made with a stretchable material
- Choose a shoe with extra depth to accommodate any swelling that may develop throughout the day
- The shoe should have a removable deep insole or liner so a custom orthotic or diabetic insert can be used
- Choose a shoe that can be easily adjusted, preferably with a Velcro strap
- For a proper fit, try on shoes while wearing the socks that you'll be using
- Choose a shoe with uppers that are easily modified to accommodate any foot problems such as hammertoes, bunions, and overlapping toes
We have diabetic shoes available in many styles and colors, and in width ranging from B (medium) to 6E (XXX-wide). Pedors for Diabetes
Pedors Shoes and Inserts for Diabetic Foot Care
The seamless, stretchable material of the Pedors Classics and Pedors Classic Max are perfect for managing diabetic foot pain and swelling. Our Pedors 3P Inserts are designed to even out pressure on the plantar surface of the foot which helps to reduce hot spots and pressure points. They are also ideal for those needing arch support, alignment, and stability.
What Are Diabetic Inserts?
Diabetic inserts are accommodative inserts designed to evenly distribute weight across the bottom or plantar surface of the foot. By doing so, the insert helps alleviate any pressure points that could cause a callus to develop that could lead to a breakdown of the skin and ulceration.
For diabetics, how the shoe fits is extremely important and well using the correct insert.
We sell a range diabetic inserts and several shoe options and colors, with widths ranging from B (medium) to 6E (XXX-wide).
Pedors Shoes and Inserts for Diabetics
The seamless, stretchable material of the Pedors Classics and Pedors Classic Max are perfect for managing diabetic foot pain and swelling. Our Pedors 3P Inserts are designed to even out pressure on the plantar surface of the foot which helps to reduce hot spots and pressure points. They are also ideal for those needing arch support, alignment, and stability.
Diabetes and Foot Care
The most important thing to remember is to check your feet regularly. Look for any redness, swelling, cuts, blisters and nail problems. When you are washing your feet, use warm water and pat dry, especially between your toes.
Always wear clean, dry socks and properly fitting shoes, with plenty of room to accommodate for any swelling or foot conditions such as bunions and hammertoes. Never, ever go barefoot.
Trim your toenails carefully, while cutting them straight across. You might want to have this done by a professional, especially if you have thick nails, vision problems or numbness in your feet.
Always keep in mind that if diabetes is left untreated it can lead to serious foot and health problems like heart disease, blindness, strokes, and kidney failure.
Want to learn more about diabetes and its effects on the body, click on the link: Diabetes Guide.