Shoes for People with Diabetes

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on August 10, 2007 at 5:37am

Manny,

The big issue with shoes and diabetes occurs if you have neuropathy in your feet--pain or most importantly numbness.

The reason is that when your feet are numb, it impacts on your immune system's ability to fight infection. Partly it is because there will be vascular damage with numbness, but another reason many doctors even don't know about is that it turns out that the nerves communicate via the Vagus nerve with the brain and this modulates the immune response. Dead nerves mean that the immune system doesn't get the message "Invader, prepare to board!" So infections once they set in become extremely difficult to fight no matter how much antibiotic you pour in and this leads to gangrene and amputation.

So if you have neuropathy you must be obsessive about keeping your feet clean and away from anything that could damage them. If your feet are numb, you may also end up getting cuts etc and not notice. You are also at more risk for invasive fungi normal people can fight off.

So if you have any numbness or pain in your feet your shoes must 1) NOT cause blisters which can become infected, 2) cover and protect you from dirt. No sandals!

I don't have diabetic neuropathy but I burst a disc years ago and spent about 6 weeks with a leg that was numb in the "knee sock" pattern. I ended up with an intense case of athletes foot fungus between my numb toes, which only went away when I recovered sensation. I'd never had atheletes foot before or after. If the numbness doesn't resolve, that fungus can become limb threatening.

As a final word: YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEVELOP NEUROPATHY. Keep your blood sugars under 140 mg/dl as much as possible as that is the level where studies show neuropathy starts to develop and it might be worth trying benfotiamine, too as there's some intriguing data suggesting it might prevent neuropathy.

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Permalink Reply by Doris Ann Dickerson on August 10, 2007 at 5:52am

I agree with everything Jenny said but I have had a pair of Aetrex X521's that the podiodrest prescribed for me last year and I LOVE them!!!!!!!!!! I also got a set of inserts to put in them when the previous set wore out!

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Permalink Reply by MeadowLark on August 10, 2007 at 5:55am

I have shoes just like those, or pretty close! Check out FootSmart and look for their "Stretchies" or "Confortinas." If I have to wear shoes, it will have to be these. I'm such a barefoot kid. ( I have sensory issues.) It's aweful.
MeadowLark

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Permalink Reply by Ross on August 10, 2007 at 9:17am

Doc Martens. I love my Docs.

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Permalink Reply by Daena on August 10, 2007 at 9:36am

i wear my trusty sneakers or pumps. my pumps are ALL round toe so my toes don't get squished at all. i use extra padded insoles for my pumps so my feet stay cushioned all the time. however, i don't enjoy wearing covered shoes all the time though i know i should. so i still wear my birkenstock sandals from time to time. even though i know that's helping me become a naughty diabetic.

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Permalink Reply by MeadowLark on August 10, 2007 at 9:42am

ACK!!! What is wrong with Birkenstocks? I thought they were ok.... sigh... I cant handle wearing anything. I stay barefoot in the house!I wear thongs/flipflops,Birkenstocks and my Confortinas. :( Does that make me naughty too:( I HATE SHOES!!! ugh.
MeadowLark

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Permalink Reply by Daena on August 10, 2007 at 8:54pm

there's nothing wrong with birkies its just that it is recommended that diabetic try not to go barefoot or wear sandals or flip flops.

that's because we may have poor blood circulation in our feet and may hurt feet without realising it. my mum's colleague's niece has T1 diabetes and she cut her foot at the beach, didn't realise it and ended up in surgery.

however, i profess that nothing tears me away from my birkies. comfy, good for my high-arched feet and best of all, very chic! they're the best! i do stay away from wearing flimsy rubber flip flops, unless i'm walking around my front porch. the other reason why i wear them is because it is very humid here and even with socks on when i wear sneakers, my feet get very sweaty. not nice at all.

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Permalink Reply by rainbowgoddess on August 10, 2007 at 6:58pm

I just go to the shoe store, look for something that doesn't cost hundreds of dollars, find a style or two that I like and try them on. I then choose whatever fits the best so that I don't get ingrown toenails from wearing shoes that are too small.

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Permalink Reply by Sherrie E on August 10, 2007 at 8:27pm

I wear crocs made for diabetics. Very comfy!

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Permalink Reply by Manny Hernandez on September 3, 2007 at 9:15am

You mean there are SPECIFIC models meant for diabetics? I didn't know. I JUST ordered my first pair of Crocs online...

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Permalink Reply by L W on September 3, 2007 at 6:54pm

There are some ones with silver in them to help combat infection, which are, I think, the ones they recommend for diabetics.

I've got a pair of regular crocs - I like them for work but not for walking, and I have to have socks on with them - the little foam nubbies hurt my feet otherwise.

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Permalink Reply by Doris Ann Dickerson on September 17, 2007 at 5:01am

Manny,
I didn't know about these til my GP sent me to a podoritist and I've had this fun for 35 years! But after wearing these the rest that I have waren (sp) seem like a joke!!1 There feel like you have nothing on and I think me and meadowLark are a whole lot alike as for going barefooted in the house. Flipflops are another story for me though...........I can't stand anything inbetween my toes! HA!

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