Quick answer: Diabetic foot care is a short daily routine. Check your feet every evening, wash in warm (not hot) water, dry between your toes, moisturize but not between the toes, trim nails straight across, and always wear socks with shoes. Never go barefoot, soak your feet or cut corns yourself. Call your doctor about any sore that isn't getting better.
Why is foot care so important with diabetes?
Diabetes can change your feet in two ways. The NIDDK explains that nerve damage can take away feeling, so you might not notice a pebble in your sock or a blister, and lower blood flow can make it hard for a sore to get better.
This is common. The CDC says about half of all people with diabetes have some kind of nerve damage. That's why the ADA, CDC and NIDDK all list the same habit first: look at your feet every day, because your eyes can catch what your feet can't feel.
How do you take care of diabetic feet every day?
These 10 daily habits come from the ADA, CDC, NIDDK, MedlinePlus and the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF). Print the table and keep it where you take off your shoes.
| Daily habit | How to do it | Who advises it | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Check your feet every evening | Look at the tops, soles, heels and between your toes for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling or cracks. Use a mirror or a helper. | NIDDK, CDC, ADA | ☐ |
| 2. Wash in warm, not hot, water | Test the water with your elbow or a thermometer. The NIDDK says 90°F to 95°F is safe. Don't soak. | NIDDK, CDC | ☐ |
| 3. Dry well between the toes | Pat dry. The NIDDK suggests a little talcum powder or cornstarch between the toes. | NIDDK, IWGDF | ☐ |
| 4. Moisturize, but not between the toes | A thin coat of lotion or petroleum jelly on the tops and bottoms of your feet. | NIDDK, CDC, IWGDF | ☐ |
| 5. Trim toenails straight across | Trim after washing. Don't cut into the corners. Smooth each nail with an emery board. | NIDDK, ADA | ☐ |
| 6. Leave corns and calluses alone | No cutting, corn plasters or liquid removers. Use a pumice stone only if your doctor says to. | NIDDK, CDC, IWGDF | ☐ |
| 7. Put on clean, dry socks | Socks that fit well, aren't tight and have light padding. Light colors show spots. | ADA, NIDDK, MedlinePlus | ☐ |
| 8. Wear shoes indoors and out | No bare feet, no walking in just socks. Feel inside each shoe before you put it on. | NIDDK, CDC, IWGDF | ☐ |
| 9. Keep heat away from your feet | No heating pads or hot water bottles. Wear socks in bed if your feet get cold (more on socks in bed). | NIDDK, MedlinePlus, IWGDF | ☐ |
| 10. Keep moving, and don't smoke | Put your feet up when you sit, wiggle your toes and move your ankles, and stay active with walking, swimming or biking. The CDC says smoking reduces blood flow to the feet. | NIDDK, CDC | ☐ |
The NIDDK adds that managing your blood glucose can also help keep your feet healthy.
What are three things you should never do with diabetic feet?
- Never go barefoot, even at home. The NIDDK says not to walk barefoot or in just socks, even indoors, and the IWGDF also warns against thin-soled slippers.
- Never soak your feet or warm them with a heating pad. Soaking dries out your skin, the NIDDK says, and with nerve damage you can burn your feet and not know it. Skip heating pads and hot water bottles, and wear shoes on hot pavement and at the beach.
- Never do "bathroom surgery" on corns or calluses. The NIDDK says not to cut them or use corn plasters or liquid removers, and Diabetes Canada's foot care checklist calls over-the-counter corn and wart removers dangerous for people with diabetes. Let a podiatrist handle them.
Other common slips:
| Instead of this | Do this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lotion between the toes | Lotion on the tops and soles only | The CDC says lotion between your toes could lead to infection. |
| Cutting into the corners of a toenail | Trim straight across | It keeps nails from growing into the skin (NIDDK). |
| Wearing new shoes all day | 1 or 2 hours a day for the first week or two | You may not feel a new shoe pressing, so check for sore spots after (MedlinePlus, NIDDK). |
| Pointed toes or high heels | Shoes with room for your toes | They put too much pressure on your toes (NIDDK). |
| Tight socks or elastic stockings | Socks with a loose, non-binding top | The NIDDK says not to wear tight socks or elastic stockings. |
| A rubber band to hold up a loose sock | Socks in your size that stay up on their own | The NIDDK says not to hold up loose socks with rubber bands. |
Related: diabetic shoes and socks, and how to choose a pair that fits together.
What kind of socks should a diabetic wear?
The American Diabetes Association suggests socks that are white or light-colored (so bleeding or drainage is easy to spot), fit well without being too tight, have no bothersome seams and have some padding if you need cushion. For fabric, it suggests synthetic or wool that draws moisture away. MedlinePlus adds: put on clean, dry socks every day, and retire pairs with holes, which can put damaging pressure on your toes.
If your feet are already at risk, for example from lost feeling, the IWGDF advises socks without seams (or with seams turned inside out), changed daily, and no tight or knee-high socks. If you prefer a longer sock, ask your foot care team first. More on what diabetic socks are and why diabetics wear white socks.
When should you call a doctor about your feet?
Don't wait to see if a foot problem clears up, and don't treat it yourself. The NIDDK says to call your health care provider right away if you have:
- a cut, blister or bruise that doesn't start getting better after a few days
- skin on your foot that becomes red, warm or painful
- a callus with dried blood inside it
- a foot wound that turns black and smelly
The CDC says not to wait for your next appointment if you notice any of these. See your regular doctor or foot doctor right away for:
- tingling, burning or pain in your feet
- loss of feeling, or trouble feeling heat or cold
- a change in the shape, color or temperature of your feet
- dry, cracked skin, or thick, yellow toenails
- a blister, a sore or an ingrown toenail
- pain in your legs, or cramping in your buttocks, thighs or calves, during activity
MedlinePlus and Diabetes Canada add swelling: contact your provider right away if any part of your foot becomes red, warm, swollen or painful.
How often should a doctor check your feet?
Your daily check doesn't replace a professional one. The NIDDK advises a thorough foot exam at least once a year, including a check of the feeling and pulses in your feet, and suggests taking off your shoes and socks at every visit so your care team remembers to look. The CDC adds a yearly visit to a foot doctor, more often if you have nerve damage.
How often is "more often"? The IWGDF's 2023 guidelines set a schedule by risk group, based on expert opinion. Your doctor decides which group you're in.
| IWGDF risk group | What it means | Professional foot check |
|---|---|---|
| 0. Very low | Normal feeling, and no peripheral artery disease (PAD), a narrowing of the leg arteries | Once a year |
| 1. Low | Loss of feeling, or PAD | Every 6 to 12 months |
| 2. Moderate | Both, or one of them plus a change in foot shape | Every 3 to 6 months |
| 3. High | Loss of feeling or PAD, plus a past foot sore, losing part of a foot or leg, or end-stage kidney disease | Every 1 to 3 months |
Medicare.gov says Part B covers a foot exam every 6 months for people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and loss of protective sensation, if you haven't seen a foot care professional for another reason in between. Original Medicare doesn't cover socks; its footwear benefit is therapeutic shoes and inserts for severe diabetes-related foot disease (see our Medicare and diabetic socks guide).
What if you can't see or reach your feet?
- Use a mirror. If bending over is hard, the NIDDK suggests a mirror. One laid flat on the floor shows your soles, and a long-handled foot mirror is on our list of practical gifts for someone with diabetes.
- Ask someone. The NIDDK and MedlinePlus both say to have someone else look if you can't see well.
- Take a photo. A phone photo of each sole lets you zoom in and compare with yesterday.
- Hand off the nails. If you can't see, feel or reach your feet, have a foot doctor trim them (NIDDK, CDC).
Helping a parent? The IWGDF says that when a person can't check their own feet, the care team should discuss who can help.
Where do Mi Socks fit in?
Mi Socks is our brand, so weigh this with that in mind. Socks are one habit out of ten. A 2026 systematic review of diabetic socks found that "current evidence regarding the structure and function of diabetic socks is limited." No sock replaces the daily check, good shoes and regular exams.
Every Mi Socks pair has a non-binding, loose-knit top band, a smooth flat toe seam, a terry-cushioned sole and a breathable cotton-rich blend (soft, but not the synthetic or wool fabric the ADA describes), in crew or knee high. They're non-compression comfort socks, not a treatment. For foot checks, pick White: the Mi Socks 6-pack ($6 a pair) comes in All White for $35.99 and ships free in the US. If your feet are numb or tingly, mention it to your doctor and look at our neuropathy socks.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a diabetic check their feet?
Every day. The NIDDK suggests each evening when you take off your shoes, including between your toes. Use a mirror or a helper for the soles, and have a professional check your feet at least once a year.
Should people with diabetes soak their feet?
No. The NIDDK and CDC both say not to soak your feet, and the NIDDK says soaking dries out your skin. Wash daily in warm water and dry well between the toes. MedlinePlus does mention a short lukewarm soak to soften toenails before trimming, so ask your provider what's right for you.
Can diabetics cut their own toenails?
Often, yes, if you can see, feel and reach your feet. Trim after washing, cut straight across, stay out of the corners and smooth the edge with an emery board (NIDDK). Have a foot doctor trim them if you've lost feeling, can't see or reach your feet well, or the nails are thick, yellowed or curving into the skin.
Is it OK to walk around the house in socks?
No. The NIDDK says not to walk barefoot or in just socks, even indoors, because socks alone won't stop a dropped pin. Keep supportive shoes or firm-soled slippers by the bed.
What are the first signs of foot problems from diabetes?
The CDC lists tingling, burning or pain in your feet, losing feeling, dry cracked skin, and changes in the shape, color or temperature of your feet. The NIDDK adds that a callus with dried blood inside can be the first sign of a wound underneath. See your doctor right away; don't wait for your next appointment.
About this guide
Written by the Mi Socks team, last reviewed October 2026. We sell diabetic socks, so we stick to what public health sources and published research say. Mi Socks are non-compression comfort socks for everyday wear. They are not a medical device and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Check your feet every day and follow your doctor's or podiatrist's advice. See our medical information page.
Sources
- NIDDK. Diabetes & Foot Problems.
- CDC. Your Feet and Diabetes.
- American Diabetes Association. 8 Tips to Protect Your Feet with Diabetes.
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Diabetes: taking care of your feet. Reviewed May 2026.
- Schaper NC, et al. IWGDF Practical Guidelines, 2023 update. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews, 2024;40(3):e3657.
- Medicare.gov. Foot care for diabetes and Therapeutic shoes & inserts.
- Diabetes Canada. Diabetes and Foot Care: A Checklist (Appendix 13).
- Venkatraman PD, et al. Diabetic Socks: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Commercially Available Products. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews, 2026;42(2):e70138.