Etiology

Foot problems in persons with diabetes are usually the result of three primary factors: neuropathy, poor circulation, and decreased resistance to infection. Neuropathy caused by diabetes affects different types of nerves in different ways. Commonly, the nerve fibers carrying the sensation for pain are affected earlier than other fiber types. As a result, people with diabetic neuropathy have much higher probability of injury. Couple this decreased ability to discern pain with faulty wound healing, decreased circulation, ischemia, minor trauma and bony deformities and ulcerations with or without infection are bound to occur.