Familiarizing Yourself with Diabetic Insoles
If you suffer from diabetes, then you need to ensure that you are wearing the right shoes. Ill-fitting shoes have been shown to cause a myriad of problems such as heel pain, ulcers, plantar fasciitis and other ailments. If the ulcers go untreated, you could have bigger problems on your hands such as infection and possibly limb amputation. To help with this, your podiatrist might recommend shoes with insoles.
Why would your podiatrist recommend diabetic insoles?
Diabetic shoes have been specifically designed to have some extra depth. They are also known as orthopaedic shoes. The extra room that they have is to ensure your foot does not feel constricted and that your toes are not crowded. Typically, when you wear these shoes, you would have to get a diabetic insole fitted in them. There are numerous insoles that one can get for these types of shoes. The majority of the diabetic insoles are made from foam that is multi-density. The foam is moulded from the foot of the owner; thus the diabetic insole is custom fit.
The diabetic insole has been known to increase the surface area of contact between one's foot and the shoe, thus making it a good option for relieving the pain associated with plantar fasciitis. In addition to this, the increased surface area also decreases the amount of pressure exerted on the skin of one's foot. By decreasing this pressure, you reduce the chances of having your skin break down and forming ulcers.
Do all diabetics need these special insoles?
One thing to keep in mind though is that not all diabetics may need a special diabetic insole. This insole is best for patients who may be suffering from a foot deformity, patients who have problems of poor blood circulation in their feet, patients who are constantly complaining if heel pain, patients with a long history of foot ulcers and patients who suffer from neuropathy.
Do diabetic insoles only fit orthopaedic shoes?
If you need to get these types of special shoes and worried that you cannot have them in a fashionable style, worry no more. There are a lot of manufacturers who have acknowledged a lot more people are in need of diabetic shoes for their heel pain, and thus, more brands are coming up with shoes that have extra depth. Thus, you can shop around for your favourite brand and not worry if there will be enough space in the shoe for you to fit your insoles. In addition to this, they come in a variety of styles and designs thus you can always get one to suit your personal taste.
For more information, contact experienced podiatrists in your area.