Every day. If you have diabetes, checking your feet every day comes first in foot care.
Be specific about where. Inspect the tops, sides, soles, heels and between your toes. If you cannot see well, ask someone else to check your feet.
And be specific about what you are looking for: dry and cracked skin; blisters or sores; bruises or cuts; redness, warmth or tenderness; firm or hard spots.
One of those entries explains the whole exercise. Redness, warmth or tenderness are often absent because of nerve damage. The daily check exists because the usual signal does not arrive. Diabetes can damage the nerves and blood vessels in your feet. This can cause numbness and reduced feeling. If you get a blister, you may not notice it, and it may get worse.
That’s why a small finding is worth acting on. Even small sores or blisters can become big problems if an infection develops, resulting in a diabetic foot ulcer. Untreated foot ulcers are the most common reason for toe, foot and leg amputations in people with diabetes.
Checking at home does not replace being checked. Your provider should check the pulses in your feet and your reflexes at least once a year. They should also look for calluses, infections, sores, thick toenails and loss of feeling anywhere in your feet, tested with a tool called a monofilament. See your diabetes provider every 3 to 6 months, and have your feet checked at that visit. If you have had a foot ulcer before, see your provider every 3 to 6 months.
And the practical half of that: remove your shoes and socks during visits to your provider so they can check your feet.