Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the status of foot, preventive foot care and appropriateness of shoe size in patients with diabetes. Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixty-five patients who visited endocrinology clinic due to clinically proven diabetes mellitus were studied. Average age was 59.3 years (range, 36-90 years) and average duration of diabetes was $9.6{\pm}8.2$ years. Patients were questioned about their basic educational level and their foot and ankle problems. Physical examination of the foot was done including sensation testing of four areas of plantar surface with the 5.07 monofilament. Both feet and shoes were measured for width, length and the height of toes and toebox. Shoes were defined as properly fitting the foot if it is 5mm wider than the foot, and $20{\pm}30\;mm$ longer than the foot, and the height of toebox is more than 5mm higher than the height of the toes. Results: 48.5 percent of the patients were educated about how to select an appropriate shoewear. 47.3 percent of the patients had symptoms of neuropathy and 42.4 percent of patients were unable to feel the monofilament in at least one area. 25.5 percent of the patients had appropriate shoes in length, 63.6 percent of the patients in width, and 72.7 percent of the patients in the height of toebox. Conclusion: This study suggets that more patients needs to be educated about foot care and appropriate shoes which have adequate height of toebox as well as the length and width.

Keywords

• Foot;
• Diabetes mellitus;
• Shoes;
• Survey