6 Existing Foot Problems Diabetes May Worsen

If you're managing diabetes, you know the focus on foot health is real. We at PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center want you to be aware of all the foot problems that can occur without diabetes, and how diabetes could potentially make them worse. If you already had a foot issue before your diagnosis, whether it be ingrown toenails or arthritis, listen up.

Ingrown Toenails and Infection

Think about a simple condition like an ingrown toenail. Before diabetes, it might be painful, but treatable. With diabetes, the risk changes completely. Constant high blood sugar levels impair your immune system and blood flow, so a small cut from an ingrown nail can take much longer to heal and fight bacteria.

Don’t hesitate to visit us and get professional treatment for your ingrown toenails.

Deformities and Pain

If you already have structural issues like a bunion, hammertoe, or flat feet, diabetes could make them worse. These deformities create pressure points on the foot, and due to your lack of foot feeling, you may not feel injuries, scrapes, or blisters. The deformity itself becomes a direct, dangerous contributor to severe tissue damage.

Arthritis and Joint Damage

If you were dealing with osteoarthritis or had post-traumatic arthritis from an old sprain, diabetes could lead to more deterioration. Again, the lack of proper blood flow breaks down the joint cartilage and surrounding tissue and speeds up the wear-and-tear process.

That pain and stiffness you felt before? You might feel even more if you don’t properly manage your arthritis.

Stress Fractures and Healing

For athletes or active people with a history of stress fractures, the healing process becomes much riskier. Even if the fracture is non-diabetic in origin, poor circulation means the bone takes much longer to mend.

Any repeated stress during the healing phase can easily turn that small hairline crack into a complete, complicated break.

Exacerbating Varicose Veins and Swelling

If you had varicose veins or were prone to chronic ankle swelling before your diagnosis, diabetes makes these circulatory issues worse.

Uncontrolled blood sugar further damages vein walls, worsens the swelling, and makes the skin taut and fragile.

The Problem of Psoriasis and Fungal Infections

If you suffer from skin conditions like psoriasis or recurrent fungal infections, diabetes compounds the problem.

High blood sugar weakens the skin's barrier and suppresses the immune response, which makes it hard to clear up these infections. What would be a simple fungal rash for someone else can persist for months and lead to skin fissures and cracks.

At PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center, we treat a wide variety of foot and ankle ailments. Dr. Matthew Tschudy, Dr. Rebecca Wiesner, Dr. Kristen Winters, Dr. Laura Vander Poel, and the rest of our team are ready to serve our Hartford County patients. To schedule an appointment at our Enfield location, call (860) 741-3041; for an appointment at our South Windsor location, call (860) 644-6525.