Choosing the Right Shoes, Socks, and Insoles

Chapter 39 · Vihang Rahul Vasa

This chapter is about products: the shoes, socks, and insoles a person with diabetes buys to protect their feet. The care of the feet themselves is the previous chapter (see Chapter 38). Regular shoes may look fine, but they are not always kind to feet in people with diabetes. Footwear suitable for the foot in people with diabetes is specifically designed with extra depth, soft cushioning, a smooth surface inside with no seams, and breathable materials to reduce pressure points, prevent friction, and protect your feet from injury. They may not win a fashion award, but they will protect the part of your body that carries you through life.

• Look for shoes with a wide toe box, firm but cushioned soles, and no internal seams or rough edges that could cause blisters.

• Avoid pointed, narrow, or hard-soled shoes. Avoid open-toed sandals and high heels as much as possible.

• Consider custom orthotic insoles if your doctor or podiatrist recommends them: they distribute pressure evenly and can prevent long-term complications.

• Always wear clean, dry, cotton or sweat-absorbing socks. Avoid walking in shoes without socks, as bare skin against shoe material increases the risk of blisters and fungal infections.

• Replace worn-out shoes promptly: old shoes lose their cushioning and support, and that can quietly cause damage before you notice.

• A tip I learned from an experienced orthopaedic doctor many years ago: a stubbed toe, banging your foot against a bed, a table, or a door, is one of the most common injuries at home, and a broken toe is one of the most common fractures of the foot. So at home, wear footwear with a closed or protected front, roomy enough that your toes never press against the tip. Then, if you bang your foot, the shoe takes the blow, not your toes. For most people a stubbed toe is a small thing; in a person living with diabetes it can mean a fracture that heals slowly, or a wound that turns serious. Make sure the heel still fits snugly: a shoe that slips off is its own tripping hazard (see Chapter 40).

Illustration: Chapter 39 illustrated summary. Protective footwear has a roomy toe box, smooth interior, breathable materials, cushioning and support, protected toes and a secure heel.

Chapter 39 Protective footwear has a roomy toe box, smooth interior, breathable materials, cushioning and support, protected toes and a secure heel. Use clean, dry socks and insoles when recommended.

Chapter at a glance: an AI-generated illustration to be read with the chapter, not instead of it. The people shown are not real.