Charcot's Foot

Charcot’s foot is a complication that occurs in the foot of those with the nerve damage in diabetes. One of the many complications of diabetes is damage to the nerves so that pain and other sensations are not felt. This means that any damage that occurs to the foot is highly likely to not be detected and the person with the problem will keep walking on it leading to further damage.

Imagine spraining your ankle. It will hurt a lot and you do not take any weight on it. Imagine what would happen if you did not know that you had sprained it and kept walking on it. Imagine the damage that you would do by continuing to walk on it! This is what happens in Charcot’s Foot in diabetes. Extensive damage occurs to the bones and joint by continuing to bear weight on the damage.

Often the first indication that there is something wrong is that one foot is warmer and more swollen than the other foot. This is almost an emergency situation that the weight is got of the foot before more damage is done.

The treatment of the Charcot’s foot is immediate non-weightbearing in a cast. Surgery is often needed to correct the alignment of bone and joints and to fixate any fractures that have occurred.