If you have diabetes, it’s crucial to regularly have your feet checked by a podiatrist. This week our Podiatrist Brad Moodie presented a lecture for GPs and Allied Health Practitioners of the Reliance GP Superclinic. The lecture focused on a terrible potential outcome of diabetes—Charcot Neuroarthropathy. This condition causes the bones of the feet and ankles to disintegrate into what has been referred to as a “bag of bones”.
If not managed properly this condition will lead to big deformities in the foot, difficulty walking, pressure wounds and even amputation.
“This topic is of particular concern to us as podiatrists and to doctors…” Bradley said, “…as it has the potential to seriously affect the life span of people with diabetes and the quality of their life – especially if it is not diagnosed early enough.”
Unfortunately, even though this condition is becoming more and more prevalent, it is very similar to some other more common problems and often isn’t noticed until the problem becomes out of control.
This relevant and powerful presentation generated a lively discussion amongst the practitioners and raised further awareness to the important condition. Afterwards, the practitioners noted that they felt better equipped to prevent this condition from causing such horrible ongoing problems.
There is no doubt that the patients coming through the doors of Reliance GP super clinic and its associated services will be protected from now on from the development of Charcot-neuroarthropathy and its detrimental after-effects. Thank you, Bradley.
