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Nonoperative Care and Footwear for the Diabetic Foot and Ankle Patient

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The Surgical Management of the Diabetic Foot and Ankle

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Abstract

Initial treatment of the diabetic foot is largely regarded to be nonoperative. The goal of nonoperative care is to maintain a stable, plantigrade foot, supported by a shoe or brace, which avoids excessive focal pressure phenomenon to the foot or ankle, resulting from repetitive loading. This includes sensory neuropathic soft tissue ulceration, fractures, dislocations, and chronic Charcot deformities affecting the ankle, hindfoot, midfoot, and forefoot. Whatever initial nonoperative treatment is selected, patient education, routine visual inspection of feet, appropriate pressure-dissipating accommodative orthotics, along with shoe and total contact boot wear are the keystones which help maintain a functional foot during gait and avoid complications.

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Acknowledgment

The author wishes to gratefully acknowledge Luke Brewer, CPO, for his assistance with images provided for this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Saint Louis University, 3635 Vista Ave., Desloge Towers 7th Fl., Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    David E. Karges D.O.

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  1. David E. Karges D.O.
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Correspondence to David E. Karges D.O. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Foot and Ankle/Trauma Service, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Dolfi Herscovici, Jr.

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Karges, D.E. (2016). Nonoperative Care and Footwear for the Diabetic Foot and Ankle Patient. In: Herscovici, Jr., D. (eds) The Surgical Management of the Diabetic Foot and Ankle. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27623-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27623-6_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-27621-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-27623-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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