How to Create Diabetic Shoes

One of the side effects of diabetes is diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy damages the nerves in the hands and feet, leaving a diabetic with loss of sensation in those areas. Diabetic shoes can prevent rubbing ulcers from forming and take pressure off the feet and toes. Regular shoes can be fairly easily modified to create diabetic shoes.

Things You'll Need

• Extra-wide, nylon athletic shoes
• Diabetic gel sole inserts
• Moleskin padding
• Duct tape
• Scissors
• Hammer

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Instructions

• 1

  Unlace each athletic shoe and turn the tongue back. Cover any seams or sewn inside labels with a small piece of duct tape.

• 2

  Place the gel inserts into the foot bed of the athletic shoes. Lace the shoes back up loosely.

• 3

  Pull out a drawer and fit the heel of one athletic shoe over it. Hammer the heel until the heel rim and heel cup are no longer stiff. Do the same to the other shoe.

• 4

  Cut two strips of moleskin padding 2 inches in length by 1/2 inch in width. Peel the adhesive backing away from the strips, and press each strip around the inside top of the heel rim on each shoe.

• 5

  Wear the shoes for about an hour. Then take them off and note any red spots on your feet. Continue to adjust the laces, inserts and heel cup stiffness, and add more moleskin padding if needed.