If you have diabetes, you already know that you have to keep an eye on your blood sugar. But did you know that you should be monitoring your foot health, too? You may not realize it, but fluctuations in blood sugar can have an impact on the nerves and circulation in your feet, putting you at risk for complications such as ulcers, infections, or nerve damage.
While this may sound daunting, there are ways to minimize this risk and keep your feet happy and healthy. One of these ways is by opting for specific socks that prioritize foot comfort. Socks that have been made to support people with diabetes can help you maintain foot health, allowing you to focus on living your life with ease.
Read on to learn more about the ways that diabetes can affect your feet, how socks can help, and what to look for in foot comfort socks.
Challenges to Foot Health Faced by Those with Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when the way your body processes glucose is adversely affected. Either way, diabetes can cause high or low blood sugar imbalances that lead to serious health problems.
This buildup of sugar can affect systems throughout the body, causing blood clots, varicose veins, dizziness, and many other issues. Worse, insufficient blood flow can eventually result in the lining of the nerves being eroded, which can impair movement and lead to injuries.
These serious side effects are often the most prominent in the feet because they are furthest from the heart, and people with diabetes need to be proactive about supporting circulation in their lower extremities. Here are some of the most serious foot issues people with diabetes should be aware of:
Nerve Damage
Damaged or destroyed nerves in the lower legs and toes are a common side effect of diabetes, and can show up as numbness, tingling, pain, or a loss of sensation. Also known as diabetic neuropathy, this condition is usually irreversible, which is why it’s important to prevent nerve damage as much as possible by maintaining stable blood sugar levels and promoting healthy blood flow.
Poor Circulation
High glucose levels can damage the lining of your blood vessels, which can reduce blood flow over time. Like nerve damage, poor circulation is a general problem that can affect many different systems throughout your body. It can manifest as spider and varicose veins, or more serious conditions like deep vein thrombosis or blood clots.
Higher Risk of Complications
Because the body’s tissues rely on your blood to provide them with nutrients and eliminate dead cells, people with diabetes are at higher risk for a variety of issues with their feet, such as developing ulcers and infections. This is because nerve damage can impede your ability to feel things like blisters or sores as they form, and poor circulation makes it harder for your body to heal these injuries quickly. In fact, some sores caused by diabetes can be so severe that they can only be treated with amputation, which is why taking care of your feet is so crucial.
If you have diabetes, it’s important to monitor your feet every day, maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, support your lower leg health with well-constructed support garments like non-binding compression socks and sleeves, and stay on top of your blood sugar levels as much as possible.
How Socks Can Help
Because the health of your feet can be so affected by diabetes, it’s important to do everything you can to support them. Your socks are the first line of defense, and opting for a pair specifically created for those with diabetes is crucial. These foot comfort socks are designed to maintain blood flow, reduce the risk of blisters and sores, and keep your feet dry, healthy, and free from infection.
What to Look for When Choosing Foot Comfort Socks
If you’re looking for socks that can support your foot health with diabetes, here are some features to look for:
Non-Binding
Because diabetes already harms circulation, it’s important that you don’t further impede your blood flow with the tight elastic that usually holds up your socks. Instead, non-binding socks use gentle, even pressure to keep them in place and allow your blood to flow freely. It’s worth noting that compression socks can be useful for many people, but non-binding socks are the best choice for people with diabetes.
Moisture-Wicking
Too much moisture on the skin may increase your risk of blisters or fungal infection, which can be especially dangerous for those with diabetes. Choose a moisture-wicking and quick-drying fabric blend including materials like polyester, nylon, or spandex to reduce the risk of these complications.
Subtle Seams or Seamless
Thick seams, especially at the heel or toe, can cause rubbing leading to blisters, sores, and ulcers. Selecting socks that are seamless or with flat seams is a simple way to reduce the risk of friction within your shoes.
Cushioning
Choosing socks with cushioning can help prevent the formation of ulcers on your feet by decreasing the vertical pressure of each step. And because people with diabetes may experience less sensitivity in the nerves in their feet, some extra cushioning can reduce injuries that might go unnoticed.
Crazy Compression Diabetic Socks
It’s clear that if you have diabetes your choice of sock matters, and Crazy Compression is here to help you take control of your foot health. Crazy Compression’s line of socks for those with diabetes has been specially designed to reduce the wear and tear on your legs and promote healthy, dry, and comfortable feet. And with a variety of neutral and patterned socks to express any mood, you’ll never have to worry about diabetes taking the spring out of your step!
Foot comfort socks are a simple yet effective way to support your overall health. If you have diabetes, then try Crazy Compression for yourself, and rest assured that you’re taking the best care of your feet that you can, day after day.
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