Easy-to-Follow Foot Health Tips

April is National Foot Health Awareness Month and a time when the providers at the CVMC Center for Wound Healing & Hyperbarics suggest people take a moment to stand up for their feet. Right now, 6.7 million Americans are living with a chronic wound, and more than two million of those are suffering from a diabetic foot ulcer. Even more startling, about 60% of non-traumatic limb amputations are performed on people living with diabetes

“At the Wound Care Center, we specializing in the treatment of chronic wounds and non-responsive conditions,” explains Julie Stecher, CVMC Center for Wound Healing & Hyperbarics Healogics Program Director. “This includes the treatment of chronic foot and leg wounds that are often caused by underlying conditions such as diabetes and vascular disease.”

Are your feet at risk? Some of the primary risk factors for wounds of the feet include:

• Neuropathy

• Deformity of the foot

• History of foot ulceration

• Absent or diminished pulses

• Prior amputation

Julie offers some preventative foot care tips that everyone can do to improve foot health:

• Check your feet for red spots, cuts, swelling, blisters, sores or other injuries daily

• Wash your feet every day and dry them with care, especially between the toes

• Trim your toenails as needed after you’ve washed and dried your feet

• Wear properly fitting shoes that do not rub or pinch your feet

• Always wear socks or stockings with your shoes, and never walk barefoot or while wearing just socks

• Physical activity can help increase circulation in your feet. Consult your healthcare team to see which physical activity is right for you

Take off your socks at your next check-up, and alert your doctor to any problems with your feet. CVMC Center for Wound Healing & Hyperbarics offers comprehensive wound care and leading-edge treatments including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, negative pressure wound therapy, bio-engineered skin substitutes, biological and biosynthetic dressings and growth factor therapies.

For more information on the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers or chronic or infected wounds, contact CVMC Center for Wound Healing & Hyperbarics at 828.485.0924. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8am to 5pm. There is no physician referral needed.