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What to expect during a Diabetic Foot Risk Assessment?
When you go to any health care professional, it is always daunting. At ProMed we want you to feel comfortable prior to visit and want to help you understand what happens during a diabetes foot risk assessment.
Prior to your consultation, we will email you a questionnaire. The questionnaire is designed to assist your Podiatrist in understanding about your overall health, diabetes management and current symptoms. Completing this questionnaire at home allows you to consider and reflect in a comfortable environment. The more information you provide the more accurate our assessment and guidance will be in relation to your current foot status and future management.
- Medical History
We require the following information:
- Your medical history
- Your current medications
- Diabetic history and control
- Surgical history
- Specific lower limb issues
- Your most recent blood test results including
- your HbA1c levels
- self-testing blood glucose levels
- cholesterol
- kidney function and
- blood pressure.
This information should be provided on the emailed questionnaire. If you were unable to complete the questionnaire at home please bringing all this information with you to the assessment consultation to help us provide a thorough assessment.
2. Visual Assessment
We undertake a visual evaluation of your feet to identify corns, calluses, pressure lesions, deformity or arthritic change that may predispose you to ulceration or indicate a level of motor neuropathy.
3. Vascular Assessment
Your Podiatrist will undertake a vascular assessment to assess the circulation in your feet. This assessment involves:
- Palpation of the pulses of your feet.
- Doppler machine to assess the rate of flow and magnitude of flow
- Ankle brachial Index machine – assists in assessing macrovascular flow
- Toe brachial Index machine – assists in assessing microvascular flow.
- Visual assessment of skin tone and integrity, hair growth, oedema, varicosities as well as other markers of peripheral vascular health.
4. Neurological Assessment
A neurological assessment involves:
- Using a monofilament device which is used to check the level of protective sensation. This is an important indicator of your risk of diabetes related foot complications.
- Use a specially calibrated tuning fork to evaluate the response to vibration. This is usually the first marker of neuropathic change and may be accompanied by neuropathic symptoms.
- Other assessments, if indicated, will include reflex check, soft touch, proprioception, and sharp/blunt detection.
5. Footwear Assessment
A review of your footwear is very important in identifying potential risks of developing pressure areas and future foot issues. We assess the:
- Fit of the shoe
- Style of the shoe – e.g. moccasin, slipper, sandal, ballet flat
- Type of shoe – e.g. walking shoe, hiking shoe, dress shoe, sports specific shoe
- Material – e.g. leather or synthetic upper and soling
- Wear patterns – this can alert us to mechanical issues with walking
- Lace-up versus slide on styles.
6. Biomechanical Assessment
This assessment involves checking your joints and muscle range of motion as well as assessing your walking style to identify potential high load areas which can lead to pressure areas and ulceration. A Biomechanical Assessment involves:
- Gait assessment – viewing your walking style
- Muscle strength
- Muscle flexibility
- Joint range of motion
A full report of your assessment is provided to your referring practitioner, endocrinologist and to yourself by request.
It is important to understand your risk of developing diabetes foot related complications. By understanding your risk level, we can educate you in strategies to minimise development of complications.
If you would like further information regarding a diabetes foot risk assessment do not hesitate to talk with our highly experienced team. Call us on (07) 5522 1230 or make an appointment today.
Your Foot Health is Our Priority!