People with diabetes face a significantly higher risk of foot health complications, with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) being one of the most serious and widespread.
This condition occurs when persistently high blood sugar levels damage the small blood vessels and delicate nerve fibres in the feet and lower legs. As these nerves deteriorate, the loss of sensation prevents individuals from feeling minor injuries like cuts, blisters, or pressure sores.
Unnoticed and untreated, these small wounds can rapidly escalate into open ulcers and deep infections, ultimately increasing the risk of severe tissue damage and amputation.
How DPN affects the foot
Chronic hyperglycaemia (elevated blood glucose levels) can cause progressive damage to peripheral nerves and the microvasculature that supplies them. In the feet, this nerve damage disrupts two critical functions:
DPN reduces the foot’s natural defences
Early signs of DPN often include reduced sensation (numbness, tingling, or inability to feel pain) and anhidrosis (reduced or absent sweating).
These impairments compromise the foot’s natural defences and increase the risk of skin breakdown, chronic ulcers, infection, and ultimately lower limb amputation. The presence of foot ulcers and amputations is also associated with significantly decreased life expectancy.
Early detection and intervention are essential
Given the serious nature of these outcomes, early detection and intervention are essential.
Regular foot assessments, glycaemic control, and patient education can substantially reduce the risk of complications and improve long-term outcomes for individuals living with diabetes.
The numbers speak for themselves
Diabetes is one of the UK’s most serious health crises and its impact on foot health is severe, leading to thousands of ulcers, amputations, and lives altered every year.
Tragically, many of these amputations are unnecessary, and could have been prevented if successful screening had taken place earlier.
people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes
lower limb amputations are carried out in the UK a year as a result of diabetic foot disease
people a year in the UK live with a difficult to treat foot ulcer
of people with diabetes are unaware that foot disease is a common complication of diabetes
How we can help
Skyrocket Digital Therapeutics can help you to detect symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy early.
We provide a vital intervention to help diagnose diabetic foot issues before they become too serious in the form of our DPN screening indicators and the Sudometrics platform. We also supply a foot repair foam that has been designed especially for people with diabetes to help soothe, soften and regenerate.
DPN Screening Indicator
Neuropad and Sudopad are rapid, visual screening plasters designed to identify sudomotor dysfunction, an early marker of autonomic peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients.
Sudometrics Platform
Sudometrics is a digital platform designed to bring objective precision to sudomotor assessments by standardising test administration, digitally recording variations, and tracking health metrics over the long term.
Neuropad Foot Foam
Neuropathy can reduce sweat production in feet, leading to brittle and cracked skin. Neuropad Foot Foam is engineered to restore hydration and protect foot integrity in individuals with diabetes.