Diabetic Holiday Foot Syndrome

Diabetic Neuropathy

What is Diabetic Neuropathy?
Neuropathy Affecting The Feet
Advice on Cutting Your Toenails
Symptoms of Neuropathy Affecting Your Feet and Hands
Heel Fissures
Charcot Foot
Wrong Sized Shoes
Neuropathy and Antidepressants
Diabetic Holiday Foot Syndrome
Patient and Family Carer Experience
Diabetes and Hearing Loss May be Due to Neuropathy
Gastroparesis

 

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Diabetic Holiday Foot Syndrome

Research [ref1] has shown that there is a greater risk of foot ulceration during holidays, especially those taken in hot countries, hence the name ‘Diabetic holiday foot syndrome’. Among 435 people studied, 17 experienced foot lesions during foreign holidays, 10 of whom reported a foot lesion for the first time. The people with holiday foot damage were a younger age, mainly male and their diabetes was of shorter duration than foot lesions of other origins.

The causes of diabetic holiday foot syndrome were:

  • direct injury
  • unaccustomed exercise
  • walking barefoot on the beach or in the sea
  • burns from walking barefoot on hot pavements
  • wearing inappropriate inflexible bathing shoes.

If you need any more warnings than this, nine out of the 17 people had to be hospitalised for infections as a result of the foot damage and the average stay in hospital was 11 days.

The researchers conclude that there is a need to increased education about foot care at holiday periods and that this should include preventative measures for those people at high risk of foot lesions.
Ref1 Prac Diab Int March 2001 Vol 18 No2