Your feet carry you through thousands of steps each day, yet they’re often the part of the body we pay the least attention to—until something goes wrong. Subtle changes such as redness, cuts, blisters, or swelling can be easy to miss, but catching them early can prevent minor issues from becoming painful or serious problems. That’s why a simple daily foot check is an important habit for everyone, helping you stay aware of your foot health and address concerns before they interfere with your comfort or mobility.
For people managing diabetes, daily foot inspections are even more critical. Reduced circulation and neuropathy take away your ability to feel pain and abnormalities. At Sunshein Podiatry, we partner with patients throughout Greater Dayton to protect long-term foot health through education, comprehensive evaluations, and personalized care plans. Our team is here to help you stay one step ahead of potential problems, so here are some recommendations on what to include on your checklist.
6 Tips for Your Daily Foot Inspection
When reviewing the condition of your feet, look for anything that seems out of the ordinary. Cuts, scrapes, bruises, blisters, calluses, and ingrown toenails are just a few potential concerns. Whereas a callus might not be a big deal for an otherwise healthy individual, it can become a medical emergency for someone living with diabetes.
We want you to perform at your best because of your vigilance in daily inspections. Here's what to do:
- Start a routine. To ensure you check your feet every day, get into the habit of doing your inspection at the same time. Something that works well for many individuals with diabetes is to inspect feet before going to bed every night.
- Clean your feet first. Using a soft cloth and warm—not hot—water, gently cleansing before a check. This eliminates the possibility of overlooking potential risks.
- Check in a well-lit place. If the lighting in your bedroom is dim, consider inspecting your feet elsewhere. You'll need appropriate lighting to catch even the smallest issues, as tiny problems can still escalate into major issues when left unattended.
- Be thorough. It’s not enough to just glance down at the tops of your feet! You need to inspect the tops, bottoms, and between the toes. Review the condition of your nails and also look for unusual growths, such as a plantar wart or callus on the bottom of your foot, or a corn in the webbing of your toes. Any of those can break down over time and become a diabetic ulcer—which is something you definitely want to avoid.
- Use your hands. Even if diabetes isn't affecting your eyesight, your hands are invaluable for detecting textual abnormalities. Gently run them all over your feet to see if you feel anything unusual.
- Enlist help. If you're unable to see the bottoms of your feet, you need to either enlist the help of a loved one or use a mirror. As mentioned, wounds that become ulcers can happen on all surfaces of the feet.
Sunshein Podiatry: Your Partner in Optimal Foot Health
If you’re noticing changes in your feet, experiencing discomfort, or managing a condition like diabetes, proactive care makes all the difference. At Sunshein Podiatry, we take the time to listen to your "why", thoroughly evaluate your concerns, and identify the underlying causes before problems progress. With personalized treatment plans and ongoing support, our team is committed to protecting your foot health, preventing complications, and helping you stay active, comfortable, and confident every step of the way.