Diabetes and Your Feet: Why the Annual Foot Exam Matters

Of all the appointments people with diabetes postpone, the foot exam is the most quietly dangerous one to skip. Here's why we treat it as non-negotiable - and made it as easy as walking down the hall.

The problem: pain goes silent

Over time, elevated glucose can damage the small nerves in the feet (peripheral neuropathy) and narrow the vessels that supply them. The cruel result: exactly when your feet become more vulnerable to injury and infection, they become less able to warn you. A blister from a new shoe or a small cut can progress silently into an ulcer.

What we actually check

A proper diabetic foot exam takes minutes and is painless: monofilament and vibration testing for protective sensation, pulse and circulation assessment, skin and nail inspection for pressure points, calluses, and early breakdown, and a look at your footwear - often the most fixable risk factor in the room.

Why "down the hall" matters

At most practices, a concerning finding means a referral, a second office, and a wait - and studies show many patients never complete that loop. At Aveon, our in-house podiatry service operates in the same office as your diabetes care team. Your annual foot exam, wound care if you ever need it, and vascular podiatry assessment all happen where your records and your physicians already are. Problems get caught at the callus stage, not the ulcer stage.

Your part: the 30-second daily check

Once a day - after a shower is easy to remember - look at the tops, soles, and between the toes. Use a mirror or a family member's eyes for the soles. You're looking for redness that doesn't fade, cracks, blisters, or anything that wasn't there yesterday. Found something? Call us the same day. With diabetic feet, "watch and wait" is the one strategy we never recommend.

Due for your annual diabetic foot exam? It can usually be added to your regular diabetes visit - one trip, one roof. Call 480-300-GOMD.