Be very careful to avoid burns from hot water, pavement, sand, hot-water bottles, and heating pads. Remember, you may not feel a burn. Have your feet checked every time you visit the doctor. Some 15 percent of America's 16 million people with diabetes suffer from lower extremity ulcers. In fact, such ulcers are the leading cause of hospital admissions in people with diabetes, accounting for more than 20 percent of total hospital days for this patient group.
Recurrence is also a major concern.
Of the 3 to 5 million Americans with chronic wounds, 1.5 million have diabetic ulcers. In spite of the obvious need for the right footwear, many people with diabetes do not wear proper shoes. Putting Your Foot Down What you put on the outside of your feet is nearly as important as what's going on inside them. People with loss of protective sensation, who can't feel the pain of a foot injury, become footwear patients for life. Until recently, footwear design and technology was largely guesswork.