Behold the fall. The changing leaves, the refreshing breeze, and the bursts of color − transformation is in the air.
Along with the delightful and picturesque changes that come with the season, one less desirable characteristic of fall, especially for those with diabetes, is the return of cold feet. Diabetics are more prone to foot problems, and according to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, there are two main reasons why people with diabetes must be especially careful when it comes to the health of their feet:
- Diabetic neuropathy: A condition in which nerve function deteriorates in the body’s extremities” and leads to a gradual loss of feeling in the hands, arms, legs, and feet.
- Poor circulation: Diabetes causes the body’s arteries to become blocked and hard, thus limiting the amount of oxygen, nutrients, and blood that can be transported throughout the body. Keeping your feet warm can help to improve blood circulation, which is beneficial for the skin and the health of nerves in the feet.
Diabetic socks can play an important role in keeping your feet warm, and some socks are designed specifically to keep feet warm and to improve circulation. Creative Care is the number one source for comfortable diabetic socks for people with diabetes. Diabetic socks are designed to be gentle, reducing the chance of damage to vulnerable feet and legs.
If you have diabetes and your feet are cold because of poor circulation, you may be tempted to warm them. Unfortunately, if your feet cannot feel heat, it is easy for you to burn them with hot water, hot water bottles, or heating pads. The best way to help cold feet is to wear warm socks.
During the fall, warm days can quickly become a chilly night, and sweaty feet can as quickly become cold feet. Heat leaves your body much faster when your skin wet. Diabetic socks such as Coolsense™ wicks perspiration away, leaving the foot dry and reducing the ability of fungi to grow.
Diabetes can also cause blood vessels to restrict; decreasing circulation to the feet and making the feet feel cold. The fabric that the sock is constructed from can made a huge difference in a diabetic’s foot health and comfort. Double Lay-R™ Diabetic/Circulation Socks is made of DuPont CoolMAX™ yarn for super wicking of moisture. It features a sock-within-a-sock design (two layers of fabric to reduce friction to the foot), as well as super-smooth flat toe seam to reduce friction and lessen the possibility of abrasion.
There are many different types of socks for people with diabetes. Generally, they’re designed to minimize foot injuries and keep feet dry and warm. Finding the right pair means selecting socks that best meet your needs. Creative Care Diabetic Socks are made with very light compression in the top of the sock to keep the sock in place, without constriction to the legs. The toe seams on our socks are either non-existent or minimized to lessen the possibility of abrasion. All of our socks have nylon on the exterior to further reduce friction while walking.
In addition to wearing the right diabetic socks, choosing shoes that fit well, keeping blood glucose levels under control and frequently checking your feet for signs of damage or changes will also help to improve your chances of keeping your feet warm and avoiding foot complications.
My mom has diabetes, and she is having a really hard time right now. I want to help her out as much as I can, but I’m not sure how to. This being said, I had no idea that there were even such things as diabetic socks. Thank you so much for letting me know about these. I definitely think that if my mom were to have some of these, that her feet would hurt a lot less then they do right now. I’ll be sure to get her a pair or two right away. Thanks a ton for the help.