 |
It's ironic, but footwear plays a major role in both causing and preventing ulcers, according to Peter R. Cavanagh, PhD, a professor of locomotion studies and biobehavioral health medicine at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa. Cavanagh, who is also director of the Center for Locomotion Studies as well as director of research for the Diabetic Foot Clinics at both Penn State's University Park and the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, is a leading international authority on posture and gait, the biomechanics of sports, foot-shoe interaction, zero-gravity locomotion, and their relationship to the diabetic foot.
"Proper footwear is perhaps the most important aspect of ulcer prevention--and keeping them from returning if they do occur," says Cavanagh. "People with loss of protective sensation, who can't feel the pain of a foot injury, become footwear patients for life. If they continue wearing the same pair of shoes once an ulcer has healed, there is no doubt about it--it will reoccur."
If you haven't done so already, you should have your doctor or podiatrist check your feet for neuropathy and LOPS, assess all your footwear and your lifestyle and habits, educate you and your family about foot care and potential problems, and start you on a prevention program designed to keep your feet healthy and whole. Then it's up to you to commit yourself to taking good care of your feet. "Tell your doctor at the first sign of a problem," urges Cavanagh. "I've seen a patient's foot be fine one day, and ulcerated the next. It's incredible how fast this can happen."
| |
