Every year 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes. If you’ve been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, it can be a defining moment in your life, but it certainly doesn't have to be the defining aspect of your life.
Initially, it may mean change. You’ll need to pay closer attention to the food you eat, monitor your insulin and blood sugar levels, and possibly take medication to help regulate these levels. But with the support of your diabetes team and a thriving community of others living with diabetes, these new routines can become a part of your everyday wellness journey.
First Off, What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition where the body 1) doesn’t make enough insulin, or 2) can’t use insulin as well as it should. When that happens, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream, and over time this can cause serious health problems like heart disease, kidney disease, loss of vision, and even loss of lower limbs.
There are multiple types of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational. Learn more about diabetes symptoms and diagnosis at MayoClinic.org.
While diabetes is a long-lasting condition, with proper consultation from your doctor and a home wellness plan to monitor and maintain your health, you can continue to thrive and lead a happy and robust life.
How Diabetes Affects the Feet
It’s critical to understand how diabetes may affect you. Diabetes can act as a moving target, often affecting you in areas you may neglect. Many health resources encourage a head-to-toe commitment to health, including yearly physicals and eye exams, regular dental exams, and kicking bad habits like smoking and drinking.
Another important area of focus is the care of your feet. Diabetes can cause nerve damage that takes away the feeling in your feet. It may also reduce blood flow to your feet, making it difficult to heal an injury or fight infection on your foot. The loss of feeling combined with an impaired ability to heal can possibly turn a small cut or injury into a big problem if not monitored and addressed in a timely manner.
How to Protect Your Feet from Diabetic Foot Problems
There are a number of actions you can take to keep your feet happy, healthy, and active. Consider embracing these simple steps to help mitigate the risk of diabetic foot problems. Your feet will thank you for it!
- Make a daily commitment to inspect your feet, looking for any cuts, sores, swelling or anything else out of the ordinary. Consult your doctor if anything suspicious appears.
- Wear diabetic-friendly socks, particularly socks made with merino wool. Keeping your feet dry and reducing potential blisters, abrasions, or foot ulcers is paramount to keeping your feet healthy. Merino wool naturally helps keep your feet dry and comfortable, and diabetic-friendly socks are specially designed with features like seamless toe closures to prevent rubbing and a relaxed fit to alleviate pressure around the foot or leg that can restrict circulation. We speak more on this below, as this is one of the key areas where we can help you live your best life while managing diabetes.
- Gently bathe your feet in lukewarm water. Avoid bathing in hot water. Once the temperature is right, use a soft sponge to clean your feet and towel them dry, especially between your toes.
- Shake out socks and shoes before putting them on. If you experience a loss of feeling in your feet, shaking out socks and shoes makes sure nothing sharp or jagged is in them, protecting your feet from possible injury.
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Do not treat injuries yourself. If you notice a corn, callus, blister, redness, or swelling, do not treat yourself. Call your doctor for the safest way to proceed.
Why Wear Diabetic Socks & Why Merino Wool in Particular?
Diabetic socks, especially those made with merino wool, can provide considerable protection from common diabetic foot problems. To understand why wearing merino wool diabetic socks helps, we’ll cover common diabetic foot problems.
Problem: Moisture around your foot and between your toes can cause sores and blisters that are difficult to heal. Furthermore, a damp environment in your sock and shoe provide a breeding ground for bacterial growth.
How Merino Wool Diabetic Socks Help: Our diabetic-friendly socks are made with our signature merino wool/bamboo rayon blend. The merino wool naturally regulates temperature and absorbs and evaporates moisture from your feet, creating a comfortable and dry microclimate around your feet. Adding a touch of bamboo rayon to the sock provides a smooth, silky feel, helping to minimize friction along with features like our seamless toe closure. The reduction in moisture on the foot provides a less attractive environment for bacterial growth.
Problem: Poor blood flow to your feet can make for some chilly nights.
How Merino Wool Diabetic Socks Help: The merino wool in our diabetic socks help to regulate body temperature, so you stay at a comfortable temperature without the hassle of monitoring it yourself. This is especially important if you have neuropathy, which causes loss of feeling in your feet, since you cannot as easily discern if your feet are hot or cold.
Problem: Swelling, soreness, and sensitivity throughout the foot and calf.
How Merino Wool Diabetic Socks Help: Feet are naturally prone to swelling, soreness, and sensitivity. You might associate wool with itchiness; that’s because many wool products like sweaters and scarves use a thicker, coarser grade of wool fiber. We use fine merino wool, which feels incredibly smooth and soft to the touch. And then we blend it with bamboo rayon for additional softness. This custom yarn blend, combined with features like our seamless toe closure, cushioning in the sole of the sock, and a relaxed fit around the leg help minimize swelling and protect your sensitive feet from abrasions, hot spots, and harsh temperatures.
Sockwell Relaxed Fit, Diabetic-Friendly Socks
Sockwell’s commitment to help our customers feel better in style is more than a tagline, it’s a commitment to designing therapeutic socks that help you Feel Better in Style so you feel and look your best.
At Sockwell, we stand for wellness and look to improve the wellness of your feet with each and every pair of socks we make. We’re proud that our merino wool diabetic socks have the APMA (American Podiatric Medical Association) Seal of Acceptance. We don’t just believe our socks can make a positive impact on people’s health and well-being. We know it. That’s why we started making socks back in 2008—and have been changing the sock industry for the better ever since.
Every pair of Sockwell Diabetic-Friendly Socks includes:
- Seamless toe closures and non-binding tops for maximum comfort
- Strategic cushioning for added protection from abrasion
- Fine merino wool blend yarns for optimal thermoregulation and foot dryness
- Relaxed fit with varying sock height options
If you’re wondering where to find diabetic socks, we have you covered! You can always shop diabetic socks right here at SockwellUSA.com. We also encourage you to shop our retail partners. Be sure to call ahead to make sure they carry our Relaxed Fit/Diabetic-Friendly line of socks.
Shop Sockwell Diabetic-Friendly Socks
Stay informed. Stay healthy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 1 in 3 U.S. adults are pre-diabetic, and most don’t know they suffer this condition. If you suspect you may be pre-diabetic, we encourage you to see your doctor. The National Diabetes Prevention Program provides resources to help determine if you’re at risk for diabetes.
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