AL PODIATRIST DISCUSSES DANGER OF GOING BAREFOOT FOR DIABETICS

FOR MANY YOUNGSTERS, KICKING OFF THEIR SHOES AND GOING BAREFOOT IS A SUMMER RITE OF PASSAGE.  THERE ARE CONCERNS FROM PARENTS: STICKERS, BROKEN GLASS, FALLEN ARCHES AND MORE.  DOCTOR JOSEPH DUPPER, PODIATRIST SAID, FOR THE MOST PART, LET THEM BE KIDS.  "MOST OF THE TIME. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH KIDS GOING BAREFOOT.  OBVIOUSLY, KIDS WILL STEP ON THINGS AND THERE WILL BE A LOT OF STUBBED TOES.  A LOT OF KIDS WILL SNAG THEIR NAILS ON THINGS AND TEAR THEIR TOENAILS," HE SAID.

OF COURSE, PODIATRIST DUPPER SAID, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE.  A PRIMARY EXCEPTION WOULD BE IF THAT PATIENT WAS A DIABETIC.  HE RECENTLY HAD A PATIENT WHO STEPPED ON A TACK.  "DIABETICS OFTEN HAVE NEUROPATHY, WHICH IS WHEN THEIR NERVES DON'T WORK AND THE FEET GET NUMB.  HE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL HE TOOK HIS SHOE OFF THAT HE HAD BEEN WALKING, POSIBLY ALL DAY, WITH A TACK IN HIS FOOT," HE SAID.

IN OUR OFFICE WE TREAT MANY DIABETIC PATIENTS.  UNFORTUNATELY AS THE POPULATION AGES WITH INCREASED LEVELS OF OBESITY THERE NUMBERS ARE GROWING.  MOST TORONTO FOOT SPECIALISTS, INCLUDING TORONTO FOOT DOCTORS, TORONTO CHIROPODISTS, TORONTO CHIROPRACTORS AND TORONTO PODIATRISTS AGREE THAT ONCE YOU ARE DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES YOU NEED REGULAR FOOT CARE.  ONE OF THE THINGS WE STRESS WITH OUR PATIENTS, ALONG WITH WEIGHT REDUCTION, EXERCISE AND DIET IS THAT THEY WEAR CUSTOM ORTHOTICS SO THAT THEIR WEIGHT IS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED OVER THEIR FOOT AND NOT HAVE ANY PRESSURE POINTS THAT CAN LEAD TO ULCERS.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR TORONTO FOOT SPECIALIST AND TORONTO CHIROPODIST, MARZ HARDY,.D.Ch., B.Sc., PODIATRIC MEDICINE AND THE TEAM FROM ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS.