Tag Archives: diabetic foot care

Tips on Getting a Pedicure at a Spa

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Most people love getting pedicures. You get to sit on a nice massage chair while someone else pampers your feet. You get to soak your feet in nice warm water, get your nails cut, get nail polish put on (if you choose), and at times even get a foot/leg massage! You don’t ever think that getting a pedicure can lead to an infection, but it can!

Many spa’s that offer pedicures are very busy and they do not have time to sterilize their equipment. They simply wash the tools they use and the basin where you soak your feet with soap and water. Unfortunately, mild soap and water does not get rid of any bacteria or viruses that might be lingering around. If someone comes in for a pedicure and has a fungal/viral skin or nail infection, it can easily transfer to the next person if the tools being used are not sterilized appropriately.

Here are a few tips on what to look for before getting a pedicure done at a spa:

  • Make sure the tools the spa is using are sterilized. They should be brought out in a sealed package.  Always ask the esthetician if the tools are sterilized before starting the pedicure.
  • Find a spa that does pedicures by appointment only. These spas usually sterilize their tools and wash out their basin using the appropriate cleaning agent. Spas located in malls don’t usually have time to clean their tools efficiently since they have many people walking in and waiting for an available chair.
  • Make sure that the files/buffers that are being used are brand new and are given to you at the end of your treatment. Try to avoid spas where the same file/buffer is used over and over again. This can transfer bacteria/fungi/viruses from one individual to the next.
  • Don’t let the esthetician use a blade on your feet. Most are not trained on how to use the blades and can easily cut you. This can lead it an infection if the cut is not treated properly.
  • Do not soak your feet if you have any open cut or wounds as this can lead to an infection. The cut/wound is a portal of entry for any bacteria to get in.

If you have any health issues (e.g. diabetes), you should get your feet assessed by a foot specialist (Chiropodist/Podiatrist) instead of going to a spa.  The foot specialist can check your feet properly and do the appropriate tests to make sure your feet are ok.  Chiropodists/Podiatrists take infection control very seriously so all of their tools are sterilized and their working environment is usually very clean/sterile. During treatment, if any cuts should occur, they have the right tools to treat the cut in order to avoid any infections.  Chiropodists/Podiatrists are trained in treating the diabetic foot so they know what to look for and how to treat the diabetic foot.  They can also offer you proper diabetic foot care and footwear advice.

At Ontario Foot and Orthotics, we have two Chiropodists who are trained in diabetic foot care and wound care. We can assess your feet and give you more information on whether or not you should be going to a spa for foot care. To book an appointment, you can contact us at our Milton location (905)878-6479. We look forward to hearing from you!

Visit Chiropodist This Foot Health Month

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May is Foot Health Month! The purpose of Foot Health Month is to raise awareness to the public about the importance of your feet and how to care for them properly.  Feet are an important part of your body and if your feet are sore and in a lot of pain, this can affect your day-to-day activities.

By visiting a Chiropodist at Ontario Foot and Orthotics, one can learn the benefits of proper foot care and the various diseases and disorders that can affect the feet.  Diabetes is one condition that can affect the feet in many ways.  There are complications that can arise from diabetes that can lead to loss of sensation causing wounds, infections, and possibly amputation.  By seeing your foot specialist on a regular basis, these complications can be prevented and if caught early, can be treated accordingly.

Conditions that can be treated by our foot specialists include corns, calluses, routine foot care, ingrown toe nails, diabetic foot care and wound care, warts, sports injuries, plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, and much more.   Chiropodists at Ontario Foot and Orthotics can also assess and prescribe custom made orthotics and orthopaedic shoes.

Visit us this month for a foot assessment and learn how to care for your feet.  Learning about your feet and how to keep them healthy is very important and always remember that happy feet are healthy feet!  Call us at 519-623-3000 in Cambridge or 905-878-6479 in Milton or visit www.ontariofoot.ca for more info.

 

 

How can diabetes affect the feet?

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With diabetes, the whole body is affected, including the feet. As diabetes affects blood circulation and increases nerve sensitivity, feet are particularly prone to problems. It is very important for diabetics to clean their feet daily, to do a daily foot check and to have them checked regularly by a chiropodist, even though there may not be any problems obvious to you. For example, some signs to watch out for and to act upon are itchiness, redness, bruising, burning, blisters, coolness, roughened areas, lack of sensitivity to temperature and of course any pain in the feet.

There are many complications that can arise due to diabetes.  One of the complications that can lead to foot problems for people with diabetes is peripheral or diabetic neuropathy.  This type of neuropathy causes nerve damage in the feet causing you to lose feeling in your feet or may cause a burning or tingling sensation.  When this occurs, you start to lose sensation and you are not able to feel things like a pebble in your shoes or socks, a blister caused by poor fitting shoes, changes in temperature, etc.   These injuries can lead to ulcers that can eventually lead to amputation.

All people with diabetes are at risk for foot problems.  Certain warning signs can put one at a higher risk for developing ulcers (foot sores).  These signs include calluses or corns, numbness or tingling in the feet, loss of feeling in your feet, poor circulation in your legs or feet, foot deformity such as bunions and hammer toes, etc. It is also important to check your blood sugars daily and have your hemoglobin A1c monitored by your physician.  Normal blood sugar values should be between 4-6 mmol/L and hemoglobin A1c should be kept under 7.

If you are diabetic, visit Ontario Foot and Orthoitcs for a full diabetic screen and for any questions you may having regarding diabetes and your feet.  To arrange an assessment, contact Ontario Foot & Orthotics at one of our two locations: 519-623-3000 in Cambridge or 905-878-6479 in Milton. You can also visit us at www.ontariofoot.ca.

Diabetes and the feet – Visit a chiropodist regularly for healthy feet.

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Diabetes is on the rise in Canada. It’s a major illness that is affecting people at younger ages and people are living longer with diabetes. “Preventative care” is fundamental to living well with this illness. In diabetes, the whole body is affected, including the feet. As diabetes affects blood circulation and increases nerve sensitivity, feet are particularly prone to problems. It is very important for diabetics to clean their feet daily, to do a daily foot check and to have them checked regularly by a chiropodist, even though there may not be any problems obvious to you. For example, some signs to watch for and to act upon are itchiness, redness, bruising, burning, blisters, coolness, roughened areas, lack of sensitivity to temperature and of course any pain in the feet.

As trained chiropodists, your foot care specialists see a range of people with diabetes.

Some come for regular care of their foot-related concerns and problems such as poor circulation, foot pain, corns, calluses, fungal infections, etc. Some of our other patients with diabetes come in with low-grade sores and blisters. Others have more progressed ulcers, infections and even gangrene and are at risk of requiring surgical care. Whether it is you or a loved one that suffers from diabetes, chiropodists are specially trained in proper foot care for patients with diabetes, including proper wound treatment.

The chiropodists at Ontario Foot and Orthotics do full diabetic assessments and help you with your feet no matter what current state of health you are in with respect to your diabetes. Ontario Foot and Orthotics takes part in outreach diabetes-related events in the community.

For more information, or to book an assessment, contact Ontario Foot and Orthotics at 905-878-6479 in Milton Or visit us online at www.ontariofoot.ca. Continue reading →