Check both feet every day
Look at the top, the sides and the SOLE of both feet. Use a mirror or ask someone to look for you.
- Every day
- Takes 2 minutes
Should feel: Skin that is clean and unbroken Should not feel: Any cut, blister or colour change
Home / Patient library / Exercise sheets / Sheet 43
Diabetic foot care guide
Foot & ankle · Diabetic foot care
This sheet is about checking, not exercising. Two minutes a day prevents most serious foot problems.
A4 PDF, 0.4 MB. Free to download — no sign-up, no email address needed.
Cut your nails straight across
Cut the nail straight across, and leave both corners standing clear of the skin. Never dig down into the corner.
- After a bath
Should feel: A square nail with both corners clear Should not feel: Never cut down into the corner, and never use a blade
Shake out your shoes
Feel inside both shoes with your hand before you put them on, every single time.
- Every time
- Before wearing
Should feel: An empty, smooth shoe Should not feel: A stone, a nail, a rough seam
Test water with your elbow
Never test bath water with your foot. Use your elbow.
- Every bath
Should feel: Comfortably warm Should not feel: Never use hot water bottles or heaters
Wear footwear indoors
Keep a pair of chappals by the bed. Never walk barefoot, even at home.
- Always
Should feel: Protected feet Should not feel: Bare feet on any floor
Come the same day if
- ANY break in the skin, blister or crack — come the same day, even if it does not hurt
- A hot or swollen foot, even without pain
- Redness, discharge or a black area
- A sudden change in the shape of the foot
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