Check the feet daily

Diabetes reduces sensation in the feet, so a blister, cut or embedded stone can go unnoticed for days. By the time it hurts it is often already infected. Nearly all of this is preventable by looking.

The daily two minutes

• Look at the soles and between the toes — use a mirror on the floor, or ask someone.
• Wash and dry properly, especially between the toes.
• Moisturise dry skin, but not between the toes.
• Shake out footwear before putting it on.
• Never walk barefoot, indoors or out.

Show a doctor promptly

Any break in the skin, colour change, swelling, or new numbness or burning. On a diabetic foot, a small wound is not a small problem, and waiting to see whether it settles is the mistake that costs toes.