34 million Americans are living with diabetes, and their condition extends past just monitoring their blood sugar. From the food on their plate to the shoes on their feet, every detail matters to keep their body and skin healthy. Poorly fit shoes can lead to a chronic or complex wound and in some cases, limb loss.
How Diabetes Care includes Footwear
Diabetes, nerve damage (known as neuropathy), and/or poor blood circulation make it harder for people to feel when they have an injury, which can lead to delayed healing. A small blister from a tight shoe can quickly become a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). DFU’s are one of the leading causes of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations in the U.S.
Here’s how a tiny blister can lead to a chronic wound:
- Neuropathy = reduced pain sensation.
- Poor circulation = slowed healing.
- Added friction or pressure from an ill-fitting shoe.
- Result: chronic wounds, infections, and increased risk of hospitalization or limb loss.
Investing in the Right Footwear Prevents Ulcers
Specialized diabetic footwear is designed to:
- Reduce pressure points by using seamless interiors and extra-depth construction.
- Support offloading by removing pressure from vulnerable areas.
- Accommodate deformities such as, bunions or Charcot foot.
- Protect against injury with firm outsoles and soft insoles.
When paired with regular foot checks, the right shoes are your first line of defense.
What To Look for in Footwear
From years of working with patients in their homes, the Restore First Health team knows this firsthand: most diabetic patients don’t realize their shoes are hurting them until a wound appears.
That’s why our advanced wound care providers don’t just treat ulcers, we prevent ulcer recurrence. During every patient visit, we evaluate footwear, support surface, and wound pressure points. If your shoes are part of the problem, we’ll help you find what works and what heals.
What Makes Restore First Health Different?
We are an advanced wound care provider who heals patients in the place they call home. Our providers are trained to treat diabetic foot ulcers with a full-body, whole-health approach. Here’s how:
- At-Home Evaluation – We assess shoes, pressure points, and the wound environment at the patient’s bedside.
- Advanced Tech – From ABI testing to imaging, we check for issues that may be causing a delay in healing the wound.
- Footwear Guidance – We educate patients and caregivers on selecting diabetic shoes.
- Wound Healing Coordination – We collaborate with your primary care physician, home health, rehab teams, and specialists so everyone is on the same page.
- Nutrition + Mobility + Sleep – Healing is about the whole body. We help patients improve sleep, manage glucose, and stay mobile to speed recovery.
Restore First Health’s goal is to prevent hospital readmissions and keep the patient healthy in their home.
Read: The Reason Patients Keep Getting Readmitting and What Restore First Health Can Do
Final Step: What You Can Do Today
If you or someone you love has diabetes:
- Check your feet daily.
- Avoid barefoot walking.
- Invest in diabetic-specific shoes.
- Reach out for wound care help early.
Watch: The Footwear Fix That Could Save Your Life.
Contact us today:
We’ll coordinate the care so you don’t have to.
- Refer a Patient: https://restorefirsthealth.com/refer-a-patient/
- Schedule a Consult: https://restorefirsthealth.com/request-a-consultation/
Follow us to keep up to date with the latest health news:
- Dos and Don’ts of Diabetic Footwear, Baylor College of Medicine: https://blogs.bcm.edu/2023/10/04/the-dos-and-donts-of-diabetic-footwear/
- Why Footwear Matters, American Diabetes Association: https://diabetes.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/why-footwear-matters.pdf
- Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treatment, NIH National Library of Medicine: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11051551/