Therapeutic shoes aiding diabetics

The decline of amputations may be due to a number of factors, including improved access to therapeutic shoes.

Enhanced foot care and improved access to therapeutic shoes are factors highlighted in a recent US government study, which indicates that diabetes-related amputations in the US have dropped by 65 per cent during the past decade. Although adults with diabetes will always be at higher risk of nerve damage and foot ulcers than those without the disease, the decline in foot amputations is said to coincide with the establishment of Medicare coverage for the cost of one pair of therapeutic shoes and inserts for diabetics.

The study was conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Researchers reported that between 1996 and 2008, foot and leg amputations dropped from 11 out of every 1,000 adults with diabetes to 4 out of every 1,000. This progress has been achieved despite the number of people with diabetes having more than tripled during this period.

This CDC report suggests that there are several reasons behind the decline of amputations in diabetics, including improvements in blood sugar control, management of diabetes and foot care. Clinical studies indicate that there is a correlation between early preventative care and the use of therapeutic footwear in preventing foot ulcers and, consequently, more serious conditions such as amputations.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 4 of the March 2012 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

Other articles from this issue »

---