Wide shoes are often a necessity for diabetics;not only for comfort, but for the wellbeing of the individual. Diabetes is a condition where sugar accumulates in the person's blood, unable to get into the cells where it is used for energy. Whether this is because the person's pancreas no longer produces insulin or because the person has become resistant to insulin, over time high blood glucose can result in a number of complications, including poor circulation, which leads to swelling in the lower extremities.

Many diabetics suffer from a loss of sensation in their extremities, usually starting in their feet. In other words, many diabetics can't feel it when their shoes pinch, cause blisters or even possibly when they stub their toes. As a result, many doctors highly recommend the use of wide shoes for their diabetic patients to help prevent problems associated with overly tight feet.

A major reason why doctors want all their diabetic patients to take extra precautions with their feet is because their feet won't heal nearly as quickly as other parts of the body from lack of blood circulation. Inadequate circulation not only disables the body's ability to fight against infection, but also numbs the nerves. This is why an insignificant blister or broken toe could result in a life threatening situation or amputation of the toe, foot, or even your entire leg. I cannot stress how easy it is for diabetics to unknowingly damage their feet. That is why it is so important for diabetics to take extremely good care of your feet. You will save yourself from serious complications later on in life. There are many recommendations from doctors on what their diabetic patients should do. One of the easiest is to buy the right size shoe. If this means you need to buy wide shoes then do it. By buying wide shoes you reduce the wear on your feet and any compression that may occur. It's wise for diabetics to break in their new shoes very slowly. This means that you only wear your shoes for an hour one day and 2 hours the next. You don't want your feet to get stiff and sore from wearing new shoes.

It is also strongly encouraged for all diabetics to visually inspect your feet for anything that is not normal such as ingrown toenails, sores, blisters or any other injury that may have occurred. The smallest sore could lead to more serious problems as we have already discussed. Since many diabetics feel numbness in their feet from lack of circulation it's important to catch any problems before they get worse. It's important to visit your doctor if you experience any sort of injury to your feet even if it's something small. And pay extra close attention to the shoes you wear.

Last but not least, make sure to maintain you blood glucose levels. By doing this you will maintain better circulation and reduce swelling inyour feet. By checking your glucose levels frequently it will help you and your doctors know what treatments are better for you. Tighter control means fewer problems.

As a diabetic there is a lot riding on how well you take care of your feet. Serious infections and perhaps even amputation can result if you don't protect your feet from getting hurt, and closely monitor any injuries that do happen. Comfortable, wide shoes that don't pinch or rub are therefore a crucial part of caring for your feet as a diabetic.