Charcot’s Foot in Diabetes

  Staff        March 15, 2013

What happens when you sprain a joint it break a bone? It usually hurts and you stop moving it and you get off it and you do something about it.Now, imagine this for a minute. Imagine that you have no sensation of feeling in your feet and legs and you sprain your ankle. What do you think will happen? nothing? You are probably going to keep walking on it and do a substantial amount of additional damage to the bones and joints.

This is exactly what happens in those with diabetes when they loose sensation in the feet and the sprain a joint or break a bone. they do not know that they have done it and keep walking on it. They do a lot more damage. Obviously, eventually they will notice all the swelling! It is not until they notice the swelling do they then do something about it. The name of this condition is Charcots foot or Charcots neuroarthrpathy. it is a particularly disabling condition that can develop in log standing diabetes and can be difficult to treat as there is mo pain sensation to guide the treatment.

Those with diabetes need to be very careful not to do anything that is likely to cause the trauma or accident that may lead to this condition and they need to be regularly inspecting the feet and legs to make sure that there is no unexplained swelling. Very prompt medical attention s needed as soon as something is observed.