Diabetic Neuropathy and Your Feet: Simple Daily Checks That Help Prevent Problems
Diabetic neuropathy and your feet make a tricky pair, because the nerve damage that dulls feeling also hides small injuries. A pebble in your shoe, a blister from new boots, or a crack in your heel can go unnoticed for days. That's why a quick daily foot check matters so much. In this guide, you'll learn how to check your feet step by step, which habits help, what to avoid, and when to call for help. You'll also see how diabetic foot care at home fits alongside your doctor and diabetes team in Brampton and Mississauga.
How should you check your feet if you have diabetic neuropathy?
Check both feet every day, at the same time, in good light. Look at the tops, soles, heels, and between your toes for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling, cracks, or nail changes. Use a mirror or ask someone to help. Also feel for warm spots, and call your doctor about anything new. [S1]
What diabetic neuropathy does to your feet
Why numb feet miss small injuries
Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by diabetes. When it affects the feet, it's called peripheral neuropathy, which simply means the nerves farthest from your brain stop sending clear signals. Diabetes can also reduce blood flow to your legs and feet. Because of both, people with diabetes are less likely to feel a blister or cut, and those injuries can be slower to heal. [S1]
So the first injury usually isn't the real problem. Instead, it's the days you don't know about it. A small sore that nobody notices can become infected or turn into an ulcer, which is an open sore that doesn't heal. In fact, Diabetes Canada's clinical guidelines list peripheral neuropathy and a past ulcer among the risk factors for foot ulcers.
Signs you may be losing feeling in your feet
Neuropathy often starts quietly. For example, you might notice:
Numbness, or a feeling like you're wearing socks when you're not
Tingling, pins and needles, or burning, often worse at night
Not feeling heat or cold the way you used to
Finding a blister or cut you never felt happen
Only your doctor or diabetes team can confirm neuropathy. Diabetes Canada suggests asking your doctor to screen you for neuropathy and loss of circulation at least once a year. [S1]
Numb feet and balance
Less feeling in your feet can also affect balance, because your brain gets less information about where your feet are. So keep walkways clear, wear shoes indoors, and tell your doctor about any falls or near-falls.
How to do a daily foot check, step by step
Five minutes a day is enough. Pick a time you won't skip, such as after your shower or before you put on socks. Then follow these steps:
Gather your kit. Diabetes Canada suggests keeping nail clippers, a nail file, lotion, and a non-breakable hand mirror in one place.
Sit down in good light. Use a sturdy chair, not the edge of the tub.
Look at your socks first. Spots of blood or drainage can point to a sore you didn't feel. [S5] White socks make this easier to see.
Check the tops of your feet and ankles.
Check your soles and heels. Use the mirror, or ask someone to look for you.
Spread your toes and check between them. Moist, white, or cracked skin here needs attention.
Look at your nails. Watch for ingrown edges, thick nails, or sharp corners.
Feel both feet with your hands. Notice if one spot or one foot feels warmer than the other.
Check inside your shoes before you put them on. Feel for stones, rough seams, or anything poking through.
What to look for
Cuts, scratches, or cracks, especially on the heels
Blisters, even small ones
Redness, swelling, or colour changes
Warm spots, or one foot warmer than the other
Corns and calluses (thick, hard skin)
Ingrown, thick, or discoloured nails
Anything that looks different from yesterday
If you can't see or reach your feet
Plenty of people can't, and that's nothing to be embarrassed about. Stiff hips, a sore back, or weaker eyesight all make the soles hard to see. Ask a family member to do the check with you, and show them this list. If you're a caregiver, bring good light and take a phone photo of anything new so you can compare it the next day.
Also, for seniors living at home or in a care residence, a regular visit from a foot care nurse can take nail and callus care off the family's list. Here's more on foot care for seniors in Brampton.
Your daily foot check checklist
Print this and keep it by your chair or on the fridge:
☐ Socks checked for spots of blood or drainage
☐ Tops of feet and ankles checked
☐ Soles and heels checked (mirror or helper)
☐ Between all toes checked
☐ Nails checked
☐ Both feet felt for warm spots
☐ Inside of shoes checked
☐ Anything new? Call your doctor today
Daily diabetic foot care at home
Washing and drying
Wash your feet every day in warm, not hot, water with a mild soap. Test the water with your elbow, your wrist, or a bath thermometer first, because numb feet can't judge heat. However, don't soak your feet, since soaking can dry out your skin. Afterwards, dry them gently, especially between the toes.
Moisturizing (but not between the toes)
Rub lotion into your heels and soles, then wipe off any extra. Keep lotion out from between your toes, because extra moisture there can lead to infection. An unscented, alcohol-free cream is a good choice for dry skin.
Nails
Trim toenails straight across, file any sharp edges, and don't cut them too short. That said, if your nails are thick, curved, or hard to reach, have them done professionally instead.
Socks and footwear for diabetic neuropathy
Put on clean socks every day, and avoid anything tight around your legs, such as snug socks or knee-highs. For shoes, Diabetes Canada recommends:
Well-fitting, supportive shoes that don't rub or pinch
Low heels, under 5 cm
Shopping in the late afternoon, when feet are slightly swollen
A store with staff who can fit you properly
A pair of well-fitting shoes just for indoors
What about "diabetic socks"? On the plus side, many are seam-free and have loose tops, which helps if your skin rubs easily. On the other hand, they cost more, and a plain, smooth, non-binding sock can work just as well. Fit matters more than the label. Likewise, skip over-the-counter insoles unless a health professional suggests them, because the wrong ones can cause blisters.
What not to do if you have neuropathy in your feet
These habits are easy to slip into, but they carry real risk when you can't feel your feet well. Don't:
Go barefoot, even indoors
Use over-the-counter corn or wart treatments, including medicated pads
Cut or shave corns and calluses yourself
Put hot water bottles or heating pads on your feet
Soak your feet
Wear tight socks or knee-highs
Sit or cross your legs for long periods
Smoke, since it reduces circulation and slows healing
Ontario winter foot care for people with diabetes
Winters in Brampton and Mississauga are hard on feet. Cold air outside and dry furnace heat inside pull moisture from your skin, so heels crack more easily. Therefore, moisturize your heels and soles every day through the winter, still keeping lotion out from between your toes.
Slush is the next problem. Wet socks soften the skin and make it easier to rub raw. So change into dry socks as soon as you get home, and carry a spare pair if you're out for the day. Let boots dry fully before you wear them again, and check inside for salt grit or small stones.
When you buy winter boots, try them on in the late afternoon with the socks you'll actually wear. Leave room to wiggle your toes. Finally, warm cold feet with warm socks, including at night, never with a heating pad, hot water bottle, space heater, or fireplace.With neuropathy, you might not feel a burn until it's too late.
When to call your doctor or get help now
Call your doctor today
Call your doctor or diabetes team the same day if you notice:
A new sore, blister, or cut, especially one that isn't healing
Redness, warmth, swelling, or pain in your foot or leg
Pus, drainage on your sock, or a bad smell
A foot that suddenly changes shape, or one foot that becomes hot and swollen
An ingrown nail that's red or sore
Can't reach your doctor? In Ontario, you can call Health811 (dial 811) to speak with a registered nurse for free, 24 hours a day. [S7] Health811 is for non-urgent concerns, though, not emergencies.
Call 911 or go to emergency
Get help right away for:
Skin on your foot or toes turning black or blue
Fever or chills with a foot wound
Redness that's spreading quickly up your foot or leg
A foot that suddenly turns cold, pale, and very painful
Feeling very unwell or confused along with a foot wound
How professional foot care fits in
Daily checks are your part of the job. However, they work best alongside regular professional care.
What a foot care nurse does (and doesn't do)
At Foot Care Nursing with Gellis, Gellis Jerome-Milandou, a licensed Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), visits clients at home or in care residences. A Diabetic Foot Care visit takes about one hour and costs $75. It includes:
Careful toenail trimming and filing
Gentle corn and callus care
A check of your skin, nails, and feet
Advice on daily foot checks, footwear, and keeping skin healthy
Every visit uses single-use instruments, full PPE, and strict infection control.
Just as important is what a foot care nurse doesn't do. A foot care nurse doesn't diagnose neuropathy, prescribe medication, treat ulcers or infections, or change your diabetes treatment. If something needs medical attention, Gellis will let you know and suggest who to see.
Doctor, diabetes educator, chiropodist: who checks what
Who | Their part in your foot care |
You or a family caregiver | Daily foot checks, washing, moisturizing, safe footwear |
Foot care nurse | Nail, corn, and callus care, a check of skin and nails, and advice |
Family doctor or nurse practitioner | A bare-foot exam at least once a year, plus neuropathy and circulation screening |
Diabetes educator | Teaching daily foot care as part of your diabetes plan |
Chiropodist or podiatrist | Assessing and treating foot problems, custom orthotics and footwear advice |
Wound care team | Treating ulcers and wounds that won't heal |
If you already have neuropathy or have had an ulcer, you'll probably need professional foot checks more often than once a year. Guidelines summarized by CADTH suggest every 3 to 6 months for moderate risk and every 1 to 3 months for high risk. Ask your doctor which group you're in. Also, take your socks off at every diabetes-related appointment so your feet get looked at.
Home visits vs a clinic: pros and cons
Home visits have real benefits. You skip winter driving and parking, you're comfortable in your own chair, and a family member can watch and learn. They also suit anyone with limited mobility.
Still, they aren't right for everything. A home visit covers nursing foot care, not the tests or treatment a doctor, chiropodist, or wound clinic provides. You'll also need a chair, a bit of space, and decent light.
Diabetic foot care in Brampton and Mississauga
Foot Care Nursing with Gellis serves Brampton, Mississauga & Surrounding Areas. If you're new, the First Time Mobile Foot Care and Assessment Service (1 hour, $75) is a good place to start, and regular care continues with the Follow-up – Ongoing Foot Care Service (30 minutes, $70). Read more about working with a foot care nurse in Mississauga.
Pay online when you book, or after the visit by cash or e-transfer. Some insurance plans and veterans' benefits may cover foot care nursing, so check with your plan first.
The short version
Neuropathy takes away your early warning system, so your eyes and hands have to do the job instead. Check your feet every day, including your socks, soles, and the spaces between your toes. Wash and dry carefully, moisturize everywhere except between the toes, and wear shoes, even at home. Keep heat sources away from your feet, especially in winter. Call your doctor the same day about anything new, and call 911 for the emergency signs above.
You don't have to manage nail and callus care alone. If bending, eyesight, or thick nails get in the way, book a diabetic foot care visit at home.
Frequently asked questions
How often should you check your feet if you have diabetes?
Every day. A daily check helps you catch blisters, cuts, and redness early, before they become harder to treat. In addition, have your bare feet checked by your doctor at least once a year.
What does diabetic neuropathy in the feet feel like?
Many people feel numbness, tingling, or burning, or say their feet feel like they're wrapped in socks. Some people feel nothing unusual at all, which is why daily checks matter.
Is it safe to walk barefoot at home if you have neuropathy?
No. Diabetes Canada advises never going barefoot, even indoors. A pair of well-fitting shoes kept just for the house is a simple fix.
What are the warning signs of a diabetic foot ulcer?
Watch for a sore that isn't healing, drainage on your sock, redness, warmth, swelling, or a bad smell. Because neuropathy dulls pain, an ulcer may not hurt. Call your doctor the same day.
Can I cut my own toenails if I have diabetes?
If you can see and reach your feet easily, trim straight across and file sharp edges.However, if your nails are thick or ingrown, or you have trouble seeing or bending, ask a foot care nurse or chiropodist to do it.
How often should a professional check diabetic feet?
At least once a year for everyone with diabetes. If you have neuropathy or a past ulcer, your doctor may recommend checks every few months.
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