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By Does Your Duck Quack

Diabetes and foot care: checks, protection and urgent signs

Diabetes and foot care: learn about annual checks, daily inspection, washing, footwear and when a new wound needs same-day clinical help.

Checked: 4 October 2026 · Next review: 4 April 2027 · Applies to: UK, with nation notes
How this guide was prepared

Purpose: urgent guidance · Level: detailed

Checked by: Does Your Duck Quack. Sources are linked below; seek professional advice for individual circumstances.

The short answer

What to do first

Diabetes and foot care: learn about annual checks, daily inspection, washing, footwear and when a new wound needs same-day clinical help.

Start here: A trained healthcare professional should examine the feet as part of diabetes care, including sensation, circulation and any previous ulcer or amputation. Ask what risk category has been recorded, what it means for you and when you should next be reviewed. The result should lead to a plan: some people need routine advice, while others need closer monitoring by a podiatry or foot-protection team. Tell the assessor about numbness, burning pain, previous wounds, footwear problems, falls and any recent change. If an appointment is missed, contact the diabetes team or GP to rearrange it.

Do not wait: A new wound, ulcer, or a hot, red, swollen foot needs same-day help from the GP, foot protection team or NHS 111; in Northern Ireland, use the local GP out-of-hours service when the practice is closed. If you become severely unwell, the infection is rapidly spreading, or you have signs of sepsis, call 999.

Visual guides

See the decision at a glance

Daily foot check and next steps
  1. 1. Check every areaLook at soles, heels, between toes and inside shoes for wounds, swelling or colour change.
  2. 2. Wash and dry gentlyDry between toes and avoid direct heat or home treatment for corns and calluses.
  3. 3. Wear protective shoesChoose comfortable footwear that does not rub; avoid walking barefoot if sensation is reduced.
  4. 4. Keep review appointmentsAsk about your annual foot check, risk level and NHS podiatry route.
Routine concern or same-day help?
  1. Routine careAsk a podiatrist about nail, skin or pressure problems and safe foot care.
  2. New woundA new wound or ulcer needs same-day help from the GP or foot-protection team.
  3. Hot red swellingA hot, red, swollen foot needs same-day GP, foot-team or NHS 111 advice.
  4. Very unwellCall 999 if the person is severely unwell or rapidly deteriorating.

Scope of this guide

This guide helps you understand the options and questions to ask. It is not personal medical, legal or financial advice. Check the official sources for your nation and seek qualified help for high-stakes decisions.

If someone may be in immediate danger

Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency. For an urgent problem that is not clearly life-threatening, use the official NHS urgent-care route for the UK nation you are in. Have the address, symptoms, onset time, medicines and allergies ready.

Who this guide is for

People with diabetes who want a practical daily foot-care routine, and relatives helping them spot changes early.

Diabetes can damage nerves and blood vessels, so a blister, cut or change in temperature may be harder to notice and slower to heal. Regular checks make it easier to identify a problem while it is still small. This guide supports—not replaces—your diabetes foot assessment or advice from a podiatrist. If vision, movement or sensation makes self-checking difficult, ask a trusted person or healthcare professional to help in a way that respects privacy.

What to do now

1. Attend the annual diabetes foot check and ask your risk level

A trained healthcare professional should examine the feet as part of diabetes care, including sensation, circulation and any previous ulcer or amputation. Ask what risk category has been recorded, what it means for you and when you should next be reviewed. The result should lead to a plan: some people need routine advice, while others need closer monitoring by a podiatry or foot-protection team. Tell the assessor about numbness, burning pain, previous wounds, footwear problems, falls and any recent change. If an appointment is missed, contact the diabetes team or GP to rearrange it.

2. Look at both feet every day

Check the top, sole, heel, sides and between the toes in good light. Notice cuts, blisters, cracks, swelling, redness, colour change, heat, unusual coldness, discharge or a new area of pain or numbness. A mirror can help with the soles; ask someone trusted to look if bending or eyesight makes this difficult. Check inside shoes for grit, seams or objects before putting them on. Do not wait for pain: reduced sensation can mean a wound is present without hurting. Keep a note or photo for the clinician if it helps show when the change began.

3. Wash, dry and moisturise without damaging the skin

Wash feet gently and dry them carefully, especially between the toes, where dampness can irritate skin. Use moisturiser on dry skin if suitable, but avoid putting it between toes unless a clinician advises otherwise. Do not soak feet for long periods or use hot water bottles or direct heat on numb skin, because a burn may go unnoticed. Avoid corn plasters, blades and home treatment for corns or calluses. If nails are difficult to see or reach safely, ask the foot-care team about podiatry rather than cutting into the corners or digging at the skin.

4. Choose footwear and socks that protect

Wear shoes that fit comfortably in length and width, hold the heel securely and do not rub. Break in new footwear gradually and check the skin afterwards for pressure marks. Avoid walking barefoot, including indoors, if sensation is reduced. Socks should not be tight enough to leave deep marks; change damp socks and seek advice if swelling means footwear no longer fits. A podiatrist can advise about pressure-relieving or specialist footwear when the risk assessment indicates it. Do not buy a device or insert as a substitute for an assessment of a sore or changing foot.

5. Know when to contact a podiatrist or diabetes team

A podiatrist can assess nail, skin and pressure problems and advise on safe routine care. Ask your GP or diabetes team how to access NHS podiatry in your area, especially if you have numbness, poor circulation, a past ulcer or difficulty managing your feet. A new wound, ulcer, or a hot, red, swollen foot needs same-day help from the GP, foot-protection team or NHS 111. Contact a clinician promptly for a blister, cut, cracked skin, unexplained colour change or discharge even if it does not hurt. Do not wait for the next routine review.

6. Make an urgent-care plan that works for you

Write down the number for the diabetes foot service or foot-protection team and the route to use outside opening hours. If a wound appears, avoid pressure on it as far as safely possible and follow the clinician’s advice; do not dress it with household products or use leftover antibiotics. Tell the clinician about diabetes, medicines, allergies and previous foot problems. If you feel feverish or very unwell, or the foot is rapidly worsening, seek urgent assessment; call 999 for collapse, severe illness or another immediate emergency.

Warning signs and checks

Common questions

How often should I have a diabetic foot check?

Ask for a foot assessment at least once a year as part of your diabetes care, and make sure you know your recorded risk level and follow-up plan. A past ulcer, loss of sensation, circulation concerns or a new problem can mean you need closer review. Do not wait for the annual appointment if a wound, heat, redness, swelling or colour change appears. Contact the diabetes team, podiatrist or GP promptly and explain that you have diabetes.

How should I check my feet if I cannot see or reach them?

Use good lighting and a mirror for the soles if that is safe and comfortable. If eyesight, movement, pain or memory makes checking difficult, ask a relative, carer, podiatrist or diabetes nurse to help. Agree how the person wants support offered and keep them involved in noticing what is normal for them. Check inside shoes before wearing them. If nobody is available to help, ask the GP or diabetes service about a foot-care review and local support.

Can I cut my own toenails if I have diabetes?

That depends on sensation, circulation, eyesight, flexibility and the condition of the nails. If you can see and reach them safely, follow advice from your foot-care professional and avoid cutting into corners or the skin. Do not cut corns or calluses yourself or use medicated corn plasters. Ask for podiatry if nails are thick, painful, difficult to manage, or if you have numbness or poor circulation. A wound or infection needs clinical advice rather than routine nail care.

What foot problems need urgent help with diabetes?

A new wound or ulcer, or a hot, red, swollen foot, needs same-day assessment through your GP, diabetes foot-protection service or NHS 111; in Northern Ireland, contact the local GP out-of-hours service if the practice is closed. Also contact a clinician promptly about discharge, spreading redness, blackening, a sudden colour change, a blister that does not settle, or a sudden change in pain or sensation. Reduced sensation can hide pain, so do not use absence of pain as reassurance. Call 999 if you are severely unwell, collapse, or suspect a life-threatening emergency.

Differences across the UK

Annual diabetes foot assessment is part of NHS diabetes care throughout the UK, but referral thresholds, foot-protection teams and podiatry access are organised locally. In England ask the GP or diabetes service; in Scotland ask the diabetes team or NHS board podiatry service; in Wales contact the GP or local health-board diabetes service; in Northern Ireland contact the GP or Health and Social Care trust service. If a new wound or hot, red swelling appears, seek same-day help wherever you live.

When to get urgent help

A new wound, ulcer, or a hot, red, swollen foot needs same-day help from the GP, foot protection team or NHS 111; in Northern Ireland, use the local GP out-of-hours service when the practice is closed. If you become severely unwell, the infection is rapidly spreading, or you have signs of sepsis, call 999.

Primary sources

The publisher checked this guide against the 6 official sources below. This is an editorial source check, not approval by a clinician, lawyer or benefits adviser.

Editorial note: By Does Your Duck Quack.