According to the CDC, 9.3% of the US population is diabetic. Diabetes affects the foot primarily by its actions on the blood vessels and nerves. This often leads to hospital stays for infection and ultimately amputations. There were nearly 90,000 major amputations in the United States last year as the result of diabetes. However, it has been estimated that nearly 85% of limb loss can be prevented through education and patient care plans.

We also specialize in Diabetic Wound Care. We utilize the latest treatment options to heal your wounds as quickly as possible and prevent reoccurrence. Our goal is to relieve pain, correct the deformity, and prevent the devastating consequences of loss of limb.

If/when your feet become numb, they are at risk for becoming deformed. One way this happens is through diabetic foot ulcers. Open sores may become infected. Another way is the bone condition Charcot (pronounced “sharko”) foot. This is one of the most serious foot problems a diabetic can face. It warps the shape of your foot when your bones fracture and disintegrate, and yet you continue to walk on it because it doesn’t hurt. Diabetic foot ulcers and early phases of Charcot foot fractures can be treated with a total contact cast.

The shape of your foot molds the cast. It lets your ulcer heal by distributing weight and relieving pressure. If you have Charcot foot, the cast controls your foot’s movement and supports its contours if you don’t put any weight on it. To use a total contact cast, you need good blood flow in your foot. The cast is changed every week or two until your foot heals. A custom-walking boot is another way to treat your Charcot foot. It supports the foot until all the swelling goes down, which can take as long as a year. You should keep from putting your weight on the Charcot foot. Surgery is considered if your deformity is too severe for a brace or shoe.