Diabetes is a non-communicable disease, meaning you get it from a poor lifestyle instead of getting infected by something. As of 2021, the number of diabetics in the world is around 537 million according to the International Diabetes Federation. That’s 1 in 10 adults.

It’s now estimated that by 2045 that number will grow up to 783 million in which 1 in 8 adults will have diabetes.

One of the horrid complications of diabetes mellitus is the diabetic foot. It happens when the high sugar levels in the blood start to cause blood vessels to narrow, and nerve cells to numb.

The result is that the feet become prone to wounds that even the smallest of cuts can cause a widespread infection. Worst case scenario, you’ll need an amputation. We have written an entire article on how diabetes affects the feet and comprehensive steps on proper diabetic foot care.

Therefore, we will be listing must-have products to up your game in diabetic foot care, so that you can keep your feet healthy and free from amputations.

1. Diabetic Socks

Normally people would wear socks just to add some comfiness to their footwear, or maybe just to make a fashion statement. However, for diabetics, socks are the first line of defense for the feet from the outside world. A good choice of socks will do wonders for you.

To choose the right socks, there are numerous properties that we need to ensure that the sock has.

• Moisture-wicking: socks with this property can effectively remove sweat from the feet and allow that sweat to dry. Thus, your feet will have a lesser risk of fungal infections.
• Seamless: Seams are the joining stitch that are typically found inside the sock, near the toes. These can cause friction and irritate the skin of the feet in the long run.
• Soft material: The softer the material of the fabric is, the better it is for diabetics. You’ll have to imagine your feet sensitive like a baby’s skin if you have to.
• Non-elastic: Normal socks have an elastic property. They stretch out when you slide your feet in and return to their original shape to hug your feet tightly. We want to avoid this feature for diabetic feet, because that tight grip can cut off circulation to the feet, making things like wound healing much slower.
• Anti-microbial: Synthetic fabrics like polyester and vinyl have bacteria-killing properties. Moreover, a study found that fabric can be coated with copper to kill bacteria within 45 seconds.
• Protective cushioning: A firm padding on the soles of the socks is useful to reduce friction between the soles of the foot and the ground. Less friction is gentler to the skin. Moreover, this cushioning can also protect your feet from small pebbles and rough surfaces.

Let’s now have a look at a few great options of diabetic socks.

Dr. Scholl’s diabetic socks

Dr. Scholl’s has a wide range of products from custom insoles to creams and lotions for skin. We’re interested in their line of diabetic socks that fulfil the majority of the criteria that we just listed.

Approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association, their socks are made with 96% polyester which fends off bacteria and keeps the socks odorless. Their Invisiseam toe seam ensures that no friction is felt towards the toes of the foot. To protect the circulation to the feet, they’ve provided a non-binding comfort top that keeps the sock in place.

Moreover, the foot can be kept dry with their moisture-wicking technology that dries off sweat in no time. Finally, they’ve also added a protective cushioning over the soles of the sock to protect your sensitive feet at all times.

Their socks are available for both men and women in a variety of sizes, so you should definitely check them out.

Doctor’s Choice diabetic socks

Doctor’s Choice socks prioritize combines comfort and foot health. They have non-binding tops that don’t obstruct blood from circulating to the feet. Secondly, their seamless toes don’t irritate the front of the foot when walking.

Moreover, their moisture control technology is perfect for keeping even the sweatiest feet dry. There is full cushioning all around the sock to protect the skin from foreign objects.

They’ve also incorporated of 94% polyester which is coated with cooper, silver, and zinc to fight off bacteria and keep your feet healthy, infection-free, and odorless.

Their crew-length socks are their best seller, available for both men and women.

2. Inspection Mirror

Inspection of the feet must be done daily, as we have highlighted in our article on diabetic foot care. To do this properly, you will need a magnifying hand mirror. This is because bending over to look under your feet is not really ideal, and it’s uncomfortable.

You’ll definitely miss a few spots on the feet if you’re just doing it by yourself. Of course, you can ask a second person to inspect your feet, but what will you do if you’re all alone at home?

This is where a magnifying hand mirror comes in handy. Not only it allows you to look at areas of your feet that face away from you, you’ll also less likely to miss even the smallest cuts because of the magnification.

At first, it might be confusing to look at a reflection, but practice makes perfect.

We recommend buying a mirror of 20x magnification, which is typically used for make-up because how effective it reveals the smallest imperfections. The mirror that we recommend also has a stand that you can just place on the floor while inspecting your feet.

Another great option is a mirror with a telescoping swivel head. This type of mirror has a long handle, and you’re able to rotate the mirror to whichever angle you’re comfortable with.

The advantage of a telescoping inspection mirror is that you have full control of the mirror position without bending over too much, but the downside is there is no magnification. Just make sure to buy the larger size.

3. Moisturizing Cream

A crucial part of diabetic foot care is keeping the foot properly moisturized. Dry skin can crack and cause wounds that can easily be infected.

A good moisturizer also contains essential vitamins for the skin such as vitamin B5 and B3 to improve your skin health.

We recommend a hypoallergenic moisturizing cream by Cetaphil because not only it keeps the skin hydrated, but it is also gentler for sensitive skin.

Simply apply the cream to the skin of your feet after drying out your feet after a bath. Be careful not to moisturize between your toes, because we want to keep the web spaces dry so that fungus cannot grow.

For more information on how to clean your feet properly, check out our comprehensive article on diabetic foot care.

4. Nail Clipper

Toenails grow slowly, so it’s easy to accidentally ignore them for weeks, unlike fingernails. The longer you leave them be, the higher the chance is that they can grow into the skin of the sides of the toes. This is called an ingrown toenail.

An ingrown toenail can cause bleeding and eventually pus formation if left too long. For a non-diabetic, they can easily notice the ingrown toenail because of pain. However, diabetics have a harder time noticing because of reduced sensation.

Moreover, toenails are much harder to clip compared to fingernails. The longer they are left unclipped, the thicker they get. Therefore, it’s important to equip yourself with a high-quality nail clipper. Personally, I’ve actually broken a nail clipper when trying to cut my toenails because it was cheap and low quality.

I recommend buying a high-quality stainless steel nail clipper with a straight edge by Tweezerman. A straight edge is important so that you cut your toenails straight and spare the edges to prevent ingrown toenails. We’ve mentioned this tip in our guide to diabetic foot care.

5. Indoor slippers

Diabetic feet are easily injured when barefoot. An often-overlooked tip is actually wearing footwear indoors. Sometimes, socks can only do so much in protecting your feet from foreign objects and hard surfaces. At the end of the day, they’re still made of fabric.

For the majority of the world, wearing outside shoes inside the house is not only disrespectful, but also unhygienic. If you’re among this subset of people, it’s recommended to wear indoor slippers at all times.

Diabetic slippers such should cover your feet from the front to the back, and from the bottom to the top. A full coverage of your feet will maximize both protection and comfiness.

We recommend slippers by HomeTop for both men and women. Their slippers cover the whole foot from top to bottom, and their soles have a protective cushioning. Their anti-slip outsole reduces any risk of falls, which is especially important for diabetics who have a weaker sense of touch. Finally, they can be worn with a single strap, so even your grandparents can wear them with no trouble.

Their selection for men includes colors ranging from black to deep ocean blue, and their women selection includes light salmon pink. If you’re opting for better health, why not do it with style, right?

6. Diabetic Shoes

While indoor slippers function as protection for the feet indoors, diabetic shoes are used for outdoor protection. Outside, there will be uncountable hazards for your sensitive feet such as pebbles, rough surfaces, nails, and even insects.

Of course, there a few criteria that we need to consider when choosing a suitable shoe:

• Wide toe box: The front area of the shoe is called the toe box. Wider toe boxes are preferable for diabetic because it does not put pressure on the toes and allows better circulation.
• Seamless inner lining: Shoes have an inner lining made of fabric, and stitches are often added to bring them all together. If the seams have rough stitches, then this can cause friction and damage sensitive skin.
• Anti-slip sole: A good diabetic shoe must have this feature, because diabetics have a lesser sense of stepping and are more likely to step harder to feel where they’re going.
• Extra shoe depth: Shoe depth refers to how deep the foot can be inserted into the shoe. Extra depth allows for space for custom orthotics, which can be extremely useful.
• Ankle collar with extra padding: This is to ensure a snug fit around the ankles, so that things like pebbles don’t easily get into the shoe.
• Protective toe box: The toe box must be strong and firm, just in case the wearer accidentally hits their front foot into something hard like a stone or wall.
• All-around extra padding: The more padding a shoe has, the more comfort it provides.

Now, let’s have a look at some choices for diabetic shoes.

Dr. Comfort Therapeutic Shoes

If you want diabetic shoes that don’t actually look like diabetic shoes, then Dr. Comfort is an excellent brand. They have multiple designs of shoes, for all ages.

For Men

For example, we wound recommend their Roger shoes for men, which are perfect for outings. The outer sides of the shoes are made of 100% full-grain leather. Their “athleisure” concept combines both athletic and casual designs, so you can bring these shoes to any occasion.

These shoes not only look good, but they check out most of the criteria we just listed above. Their Roger shoes, as well as their other shoes, have a wide toe box, made with protective material. The inside lining is made of microsuede which is lightweight, breathable, and water-resistant.

Moreover, they reduced the seam lines of the shoes to reduce friction to the skin. Finally, these shoes have a flared sole, meaning there is extra width at the bottom of the soles. The function of this feature to prevent overpronation, such as in flatfoot.

The icing on the cake is their removable orthotic insert. An orthotic is a specialized insole that supports the arch of your foot. You can read more about orthotics here. Every shoe they sell will be provided with an orthotic insole, and you get to choose whether you want to wear it, not wear it, or wear a different one.

Overall, these Dr. Comfort Roger shoes are an excellent choice if you’re just overwhelmed with the endless options on the market.

For Women

Dr. Comfort’s options for women are no less, either. We would first recommend their Riley shoes because of its simple laced canvas design. We know how much women value being stylish, so a show that fits with every outfit is a good start.

Available in black and midnight, the whole shoe is made of canvas material which is breathable and keeps the foot cool and dry. Their toe box is also wide and reinforced with protective design. So, no need to worry about stubbing your toes or anything.

The entire shoe uses a seamless design, so your skin won’t get irritated by friction after a long wear. Also, normally canvas shoes are thin all around, but these shoes have a heel counter and padded tongue for extra comfort.

FitVille Diabetic Shoes

If Dr. Comfort shoes are a bit too pricey, and you’re not too worried about looks, then FitVille shoes are just for you. They have limited design options for their diabetic shoes, but nonetheless they’re worth it.

For men

Their bestseller for men is their EasyTop Wings V2 shoes. The signature feature of these shoes is their adjustable, wide-open Velcro strap. They’re really useful for when you have swollen fit and need extra room in your shoes.

Other features include a wide toe box, breathable material, seamless interior, and most importantly, a removable insole. Overall, it’s a great diabetes-friendly shoe.

For WOmen

We would also recommend the same design line for women, which is the Easy Top Wings V2.

7. Blood Sugar Test Kit

Finally, no diabetic foot care product list is complete without recommending a blood sugar test kit. At the end of the day, how healthy your feet are depending on the control of sugar in your blood.

Daily blood sugar monitoring is always recommended by doctors. Even better, get yourself a blood sugar diary and jot down your blood sugar levels regularly. This will not only be useful for your physician, but also motivates yourself to improve your lifestyle for the better.

We recommend buying a kit with a lot of single-use lancets, and a glucometer that can save your results for later reference. For that, this blood glucose monitor kit by Glucoracy is an excellent choice.