Bengaluru: There’s an alarming rise in the burden of diabetic foot — a condition in which high blood sugar damages nerves and blood vessels in feet, leading to numbness, tingling, pain or a loss of feeling — in Karnataka year after year. The state has been reporting 11,000 to 13,500 cases at Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology and Research during a 12-month period in the past 3-4 years — an indication that early detection and treatment is key to preventing health complications.Amid rising concerns, neuropathy (nerve damage) sets in even before diabetes diagnosis is made. Dr Belehalli Pavan, associate professor and head of podiatry department, Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology and Research, said both young and old patients were getting affected by diabetic foot. “When patients come to us, they present burning feet and get tested for diabetes. Neuropathy sets in before they even know it. We have studies showing that even in pre-diabetics — where the body fights the urge to become fully diabetic — metabolites produce changes that can lead to neuropathy. That is what we are trying to emphasise: these changes require attention.”Diabetic neuropathy is caused by prolonged high blood sugar levels from diabetes, most commonly affecting the legs and feet. “If blood circulation to the brain is affected, you get a stroke; to the heart, a heart attack; and to the foot, we call it a ‘foot attack’, which leads to a lot of foot infections, ulcers and amputations,” said Dr Srinath Aswathiah, senior consultant, diabetes and endocrinology, Kauvery Hospital.He noted lower awareness levels. “By the time we see a diabetic foot, it is already a burnt-out case. People perceive these problems as surgical issues and go to specialties like wound care, surgeons or orthopaedists.” He stressed that a multi-disciplinary approach with endocrinologists would provide better results.Nail hazardsOne of the main problems is that of toenails. Senior citizens face difficulty in bending down and cutting their nails, which leads to the issue of ingrown nails. These infections are often not recognised by patients due to neuropathy. In some cases, nails thicken, leading to further trouble.“Women getting nails shaped at salons risk this too, even younger patients. Infections lead to pus, then gangrene if untreated,” said Dr Pramila Kalra, consultant endocrinologist, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital.Offloading footwearResearchers applied for a second patent for ‘dynamic offloading footwear’ developed by KIER in collaboration with IISc. Unlike existing therapeutic shoes, it features a snapping mechanism that keeps feet balanced, speeds up healing in injured areas, and prevents new injuries. “Our design uses arches that drop only under a certain threshold of pressure and snap back to avoid shifting pressure elsewhere,” said Dr Pavan.His startup, strideAide, along with IISc, applied for a second patent. “The new arrays match a person’s BMI. Offloading works only with the right array for their weight. This will cut calluses in diabetics. We are validating now — IISc transferred the tech to us,” Dr Pavan explained.“With the new patent, we want to change the design of footwear to be able to produce it in a regular manufacturing process to reduce costs. We want to go into mass production to ensure it is affordable to all,” said GK Ananthasuresh, professor of mechanical engineering, IISc.BEST FOOT FORWARD* Wash, inspect feet daily; keep them dry* Never walk barefoot* Wear properly fitting shoes after cleaning them* Trim, file toenails* Don’t apply moisturiser between toes* Maintain balanced and healthy diet* Never remove calluses, warts or corns* Don’t neglect wounds; watch out for cracked feetPERIOD…………………..CASESJan-Dec 2022………………..13,091Jan-Dec 2023………………..13,958Jan-Oct 2024………………..11,200Nov 2024 to Nov 2025……..13,500(Cases at Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology and Research, Bengaluru)
