Foot Care

FAQ and Resources

Questions

Resources

QUESTIONS

Is it ok to soak a person’s feet in water?

Normally, soaking a person’s feet in water for 10 minutes makes it much easier to give foot care. However, if the person has diabetes mellitus, never soak their feet. Soaking will increase their chance of infection.

What are the risks when giving a person foot care?

  • Soaking or cleansing the feet in water that is too hot will cause blisters or burns to the feet.
  • If you file too hard around the corners of a nail, you might injure the skin around the toenail or damage the toe itself, which could lead to infection.
  • Cutting and injuring the skin from using a clipper is a risk which can also lead to an infection.

Who is most at risk for a foot problem?

  • People who have diabetes mellitus
  • Aging persons
  • People with circulatory problems
  • People who suffer the loss of feeling, or have numbness or tingling in their feet

What should I do if the person I care for gets a cut on their foot?

  • Wash a cut or scrape with soap and water, then cover with a sterile gauze bandage. See our lesson on Changing a Gauze Dressing.
  • Treat a skin injury quickly
  • Check the injury daily and call the person’s doctor if it doesn’t heal
RESOURCES

American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association is the nation’s leading nonprofit charity providing diabetes research, information and consumer advocacy. Patient education materials and professional journal articles can be found through the ADA website.

visit: www.diabetes.org

American Podiatric Medical Association

The American Podiatric Medical Association is the premier professional organization representing the nation’s Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (podiatrists). The APMA represents a majority of the estimated 15,000 podiatrists in the country. The website provides information on foot health and foot care products.

visit: www.apma.org

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