6 Best Practices for Caring for Diabetic Foot Ulcers During Holiday Travel

It might seem like summer just ended, but the holidays are already here, as the Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations all around us certainly signal.

If you’re planning on traveling for the holidays, and you’re one of the 1.6 million Americans who develop a diabetic foot, ankle, or leg wound in any given year, the team here at Foot Ankle Leg Wound Care Orange County wants to provide you with a few great strategies. Under the expert guidance of double board-certified podiatry specialist Dr. Thomas Rambacher, here are some tips for holiday travel with a diabetic foot ulcer.

1. Make sure you have what you need for your foot ulcer

Before you head out, we want you to come see us so that we can check on your lower limb wound and make sure everything is going in the right direction. During this visit, we can also make sure that you have plenty of prescription wound care products on hand to handle your needs.

2. Don’t check your wound care supplies

If you’re traveling by airplane, don’t check your ulcer wound care kit. Instead, keep it with your carry-on luggage so there’s less chance of it getting lost in transit.

3. Pack comfortable shoes

The holidays aren’t a great time to break in new shoes, especially if you’re nursing a diabetic foot wound. So, keep your comfortable shoes close and wear them at all times.

4. Keep up with your diabetes management practices

The holidays are full of temptations, especially in the form of sweets and carbs, two things that people with diabetes should avoid. So, during the holidays, you might treat yourself to one small dessert, but limit it to that. When you’re trying to get a foot ulcer to heal, you don’t want to compound the issue with high levels of glucose in your system.

5. Keep moving

If you’re still mobile with your diabetic foot ulcer, we want you to move as much as you can. This movement encourages better circulation in your lower limbs.

That said, if we’ve advised against movement or weight-bearing, please follow those instructions above all else. Believe it or not, there are still ways you can get your blood moving with some chair exercises.

6. No alcohol

There are a few reasons why you should limit alcohol over the holidays if you have a diabetic foot ulcer. First, alcohol can interfere with healing and slow it down, which is the last thing you want with a slow-healing wound.

Second, alcohol may make you less vigilant about caring for your diabetic foot ulcer.

Third, alcohol can numb you, so you might not feel when you’re pushing your foot too hard.

With a little planning and careful management, there’s no reason why most people with mild to moderate diabetic foot ulcers can’t travel over the holidays. (Please note: If you’re dealing with a more serious foot ulcer, holiday travel may not be advised and we can discuss this during your visit.)

To make sure you have everything you need for your diabetic foot care over the holidays, and beyond, we invite you to call our office in Mission Viejo, California, at 949-832-6018 or request an appointment online today.