Table 8.

Guidelines for patients on protecting lower limbs and feet

• Examine the feet daily for broken skin, blisters, swelling, or redness

• Report worsening symptoms—for example, decreasing walking distance, pain at rest, pain at night, changes in skin colour

• Keep the skin moist with, for example, 50/50 white soft paraffin and liquid paraffin mix

• Never walk barefoot

• Ensure shoes are well fitting and free of friction and pressure points; check them for foreign objects (such as stones) before wearing; and avoid open toed sandals and pointed shoes

• Give up smoking

• Take regular exercise within limits of pain and tolerance