Sound Foot Care Center of CT
148 East Ave, Suite 2G
Norwalk, CT 06851
Ph. 203.866.7686
Fax. 203.866.7685

Diabetes and Charcot Foot

Charcot foot is a progressive condition that causes the joints in the foot to deteriorate. If left untreated, Charcot foot can cause repeated stress and injury to the joints in the foot, leading to permanent ligament, cartilage and bone damage. With early diagnosis and treatment, severe damage to the foot can be lessened or eliminated.

Named for Jean-Martin Charcot, who first discovered the condition, Charcot foot is most often linked to diabetes. People with diabetes can develop nerve damage, or neuropathy, that often affects the feet. As a result, these patients do not have proper movement control, which can lead to the development of Charcot foot. And since neuropathy can decrease a person’s ability to recognize pain, patients affected may not even feel the symptoms of Charcot foot, leaving the area untreated and subject to permanent injury or deformity.

If you have diabetes and suspect you are having trouble in or around your foot, please schedule an appointment with us immediately. Symptoms of Charcot foot include

• Joint dislocation;
• Feeling of heat in the area;
• Lack of feeling in the foot;
• Joint instability; and
• Redness or swelling of the foot and ankle.

Patients with diabetes and neuropathy need to pay special attention to the care of their feet to prevent diabetes-related conditions such as Charcot foot. If you have diabetes, it is important to consult with us regularly to maintain good health in the joints, ligaments and nerves of the feet.