7 tips to maintain foot health at home

People with diabetes are especially prone to foot infections. That's why it's important to take care of your feet. Try these seven tips for maintaining your feet at home.

Back problems, obesity and arthritis may reduce the flexibility you need to inspect your feet closely. Diminished eyesight makes the task more difficult, too.

• In any case, enlist your spouse's help to check your feet thoroughly.

It's pretty easy to see the tops and sides of your feet, but many people aren't agile enough to get a good look at the bottoms.

• If you have this quandary, buy a mirror that's about the size of a sheet of notebook paper and place it mirror-side up under your bed.
• At bedtime, use your toes to slide the mirror out from under the bed. Examine your feet in the mirror, and then slide the mirror back into its hiding place.

When you peel your socks off for the evening, check to see if tiny white flakes fall to the floor. Those flakes are dry skin cells — if you see them, your skin is too dry and you'll need to moisturize with a thick cream or lotion.

• If you don't moisturize, your skin could begin to crack, which will leave you vulnerable to infection.
• Pay particular attention to your heels and the balls of your feet, where dryness is most likely.
• Then tuck your feet into clean cotton socks, which not only keep your sheets from being streaked with lotion, but also seal the moisture into your skin.

Applying moisturizer once or twice a day should be enough to keep skin from cracking.

Toenail clippers are larger and have more leverage than fingernail clippers, so they can snip through thicker toenails without your applying excess pressure, which could lead to injury. Also, their blades are less rounded, making them more suitable for big toes.

• You can purchase lever-style toenail clippers (which look like oversized fingernail clippers) or scissor-style clippers (which look like mini-wire cutters).
• Nail files and emery boards are acceptable alternatives.

Don't use conventional scissors or a knife, and don't tear, pull or bite at your toenails.

• When you trim your toenails, cut them so that they're flush with the tip of the toe, in a slightly curved shape that follows the shape of the toe.

You often will see advice saying to cut toenails straight across, but this can leave sharp points on the sides of your nails that can cut into your skin or become ingrown.

• Use a file to smooth any rough or sharp spots.

Don't bed down with any devices that will create extreme temperatures, such as electric blankets, heating pads, hot water bottles and ice packs.

• With reduced feeling in your feet, you might not be able to tell when such items are overheating or over-chilling your feet or other body parts.

If you've changed into your pajamas for the night but you're not quite ready to slip under the bedcovers, pull on a sturdy pair of nonskid slippers to protect your feet. Walking around barefoot is never a good idea for people with diabetes.

• Even if you are meticulous about housekeeping and won't risk stepping on something sharp, there are still plenty of ways to stub your toe.

These seven tips can help you set up a routine to keep your feet neat and healthy.