Foot First Aid: The Ultimate Guide to Wounds
Having a wound on your foot is probably the last thing you want to see right? The good news is that podiatrists are experts at dealing with complex wounds on the feet.
The feet are one of the most exposed parts of the body to infection and addressing these as soon as they arise, is the best method of managing the potential risk involved.
Individuals with medical conditions, in particular diabetes - are at a higher risk of developing wounds on their feet. Sometimes these pesky wounds can take longer to heal than usual. If this is the case, you might be dealing with an ulcer, as opposed to a wound.
It's pretty hard to avoid cuts and scrapes, as we are often exposed to the elements and the tough conditions of the outdoors. Sometimes this is all it can take to develop into a wound, especially for compromised individuals.
What types of wounds can occur?
Wounds appear on the skin as a result of trauma to the epidermis of the skin. Wound ulcers are slightly different as they can either develop or worsen due to comorbidities such as diabetes or peripheral arterial disease.
Here are a couple of examples of ulcers:
Diabetic foot ulcers - Occur due to diabetes, arterial disease or neuropathy as a result of diabetes. These types of ulcers can form anywhere on the foot, but are common in weight-bearing areas.
Venous ulcers occur due to inefficient or damage to veins and generally appear around the ankle or the leg
Arterial ulcers appear due to a lack of blood flow through the arteries. These can appear anywhere throughout the foot, but are common on the tips of toes and again on weight-bearing areas
Pressure ulcers - These are caused by... you guessed it! - a high amount of pressure in a very localised area. Ill-fitting shoes are one of the biggest causes of these, most commonly appearing near the heels or under the big toe
What should I do if the wound is infected?
Wounds can become infected if they are not looked after properly. Some of the signs of infection around the wound site include: Redness, swelling, pus - as well as having chills and a fever.
If these signs do appear, you should get in contact with your podiatrist or your G.P in order for it to be looked after properly, with all the specialised dressings and recommendations.
Offloading for wounds
Offloading the wound site can aid in helping it heal much quicker. There are a couple of ways this can be done. The obvious being - staying off your feet at all times, but this isn't always realistic is it?
Felt padding can be placed into your footwear which can help offload the affected area. This can be supplied and fitted by your podiatrist. In addition to this, custom orthotics and custom footwear can be prescribed if needed.
In severe cases, a moon boot or cast can be prescribed to offload high amounts of pressure off the feet
When should I see a health professional for my wound?
Regular wounds can be treated at home, but if it is not getting any better and you notice those signs of infection, then you should definitely pay a visit to a podiatrist.
The podiatrist will then deem what course of action to take and what dressings to be used. If it can be managed in a private clinic setting, the podiatrist will continue to manage it with some dressing instructions for you to perform at home.
If the podiatrist deems they don't have the necessary means to manage the wound appropriately, then they will write a referral off to either a high risk wound clinic or a hospital. These facilities will often have more specialised dressings to manage certain ulcers and wounds, but can be hard to get into without a referral at times
If you or someone you know has sustained a wound or ulcer on their foot, feel free to book an appointment with one of our superstar podiatrists!
