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Socks Count Too
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Socks Count Too
By Marie McCarren
Wear the wrong socks and you may risk a foot ulcer, suggests a study done at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center.
People with diabetes may develop nerve damage (neuropathy) in their feet. This can set the stage for very serious problems in the future.
For example, a person with neuropathy can't tell when a shoe is too tight and that a blister is forming. The blister could lead to a foot ulcer and possibly amputation. So "Wear the right shoes" tops the list of ways to protect yourself from amputation.
But what about the right socks? The toe seam of a sock is firmer than the rest of the sock. Might that seam put extra pressure on a foot?
To find out, researchers tested two brands of socks: a seamless sock made by Therafoot, and a sock with a seam near the toe made by Fruit of the Loom. Each type of sock was placed between two rigid, flat surfaces and 143 pounds of weight was applied. An instrument measured the pressure at the midfoot part of the sock, and the pressure in the toe area. Each type of sock was tested five times.
In the unseamed socks, pressures in the midfoot region were about the same as pressures in the toe region.
In the socks with a toe seam, pressures in the toe region were nearly 10 times higher than pressures in the midfoot region. The seamed toe had much higher pressure readings than the seamless toe.
Seamed socks aren't a problem for people who don't have diabetes and neuropathy. They can adjust socks so that the seam doesn't rub.
But in a person with neuropathy, it might be a different story. Think of a hammertoe that's already pressed against the inside of a shoe. Now add a sock seam. Irritation...ulcer...amputation. It could happen.
Don't let it. Researcher David Armstrong, DPM, at the University of Texas says, "People with neuropathy might consider wearing seamless socks. If you wear seamed socks, be cognizant of where the seam is located." Make sure the sock hasn't shifted and moved the seam to the bottom of the foot, where it will get the most pressure, or gotten caught between a toe and the shoe.
Reprinted with permission form Diabetes Forecast, October 1999. Copyright 1999 American Diabetes Association. For information on joining the American Diabetes Association and receiving Diabetes Forecast, call (800) 806-7801.
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