Diabetic socks are specially designed socks that help prevent foot ulcers in people living with diabetes. These socks control moisture, which helps reduce the risk of foot infection. The diabetic dress socks are made of wrinkle-free and seams-free fabrics that reduce the pressure on the foot, thus preventing blistering. The socks’ loose tops improve blood flow and also help those suffering from neuropathy or nerve damage. Best Shoes to choose for your Diabetic Socks – Aldo Shoes.
Diabetic Socks: Foot Care
According to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, diabetics must be very careful about their feet health. Since most diabetics develop neuropathy or nerve damage, leading to the loss of feeling in the arms, hands, legs, and feet, they may not realize the seriousness of their injuries. This condition may lead to serious health problems since diabetics are also more prone to infections. Since diabetics also suffer from poor blood circulation, the body’s response to skin damage is also compromised.
Diabetic Socks: Features
Regular 100% wool or cotton socks, which hug the feet too tightly, reduce blood circulation. Their coarse seams may also rub against the feet, causing the development of calluses and blisters. Diabetic dress socks, on the other hand, are manufactured from combinations of acrylic, nylon, cotton and elastic fibers. These materials keep the foot dry and cool and enhance the wearer’s comfort. By pulling away moisture from the wearer’s skin, these socks keep the skin dry.
Choosing the Right Diabetic Socks
It is better to consult a podiatrist before determining the right socks for a diabetic. The best diabetic socks have stretch tops and are non-cotton with antimicrobial properties. These are also non-binding, which allows free blood circulation. Diabetics can choose extra wide socks if there is excessive edema.
These socks look no different from regular socks and are available in different varieties, such as mid-calf or low cut. If there are any open wounds, it is better to wear white colored ones. Make sure that the socks fit well without any constrictions, although these socks come in different colors.
Type of socks to choose
Women’s Diabetic dress socks are a non-binding type of sock. They are loosely knit & have a lot of stretches in the part that covers the ankle and their calf. The bottoms normally have extra padding and the socks are usually designed to have no seams or very smooth seams. They are made in such a way that the skin can breathe easily and some have special moisture-wicking capabilities. That is the mechanical properties of the socks. These properties make them useful to people suffering from many feet and leg characteristics.
How it protects feet
Because the feet and legs are our main source of mobility, they get a lot of wear and tear in their day to day life. Diabetes affects the body in many ways including some which are dangerous to our feet and ankles. Poor circulation, nerve damage and the ability to fight infections are the main dangers to the feet.
Peripheral Neuropathy is damage to the nerves. It is caused by diabetes and is common in the feet in hands. Its symptoms can include numbness, tingling, pain, and sensitivity to touch. A diabetic may not notice that a person with normal health would react to right away; because of the numbness the feet can suffer injuries. Some of these injuries can be caused by the shoes and socks we wear. If a seam in a sock was abrasive to our foot or toe it could cause blisters or abrasions that go unnoticed. If that seam worn on the foot all day long the injury could be quite severe.
The best diabetic socks are loose-fitting and non-binding so that they do not irritate or cause pain for those suffering from neuropathy. Many sufferings from neuropathy are sensitive to touch and the binding socks can cause pain. Tight-fitting socks can cause the same sort of abrasions around the top of the sock as those rough seams in the heel and toe area caused in the previous example. Many diabetics also suffer from peripheral edema where the lower legs tend to swell due to retention of water in those areas and this makes the normal sock cut into the skin even deeper.