Charcot foot (pronounced "shar-KO") is a problem that can happen in people who have nerve damage from diabetes. In rare cases, it is caused by other health problems.
Nerve damage in the foot or ankle leads to numbness, pain, redness, and swelling. The sore foot may feel hotter than the other foot. This increases the chance that you could break bones in your foot or have another injury and not feel it. If your foot gets injured a lot, the joints can break down, and the foot can become deformed. If you have severe Charcot foot, you may not be able to walk normally. The problem also increases the risk of foot ulcers and infections.
You can protect your feet as much as possible to keep them from being injured. If you already have Charcot foot, you may wear a cast—or a series of casts—for several months to help your foot heal.
Charcot (say "shar-ko") foot is a foot deformity that results from nerve damage in the foot or ankle. The nerve damage may cause minor pain and then a loss of sensation that increases the risk of injury to the feet. When the foot is repeatedly injured, the weight-bearing joints start breaking down.
This condition most often results from nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy) caused by type 1 or type 2 diabetes. People whose blood sugar levels have not been controlled well are more likely to develop Charcot foot.
Early signs of Charcot foot include redness, swelling, and increased temperature of the foot. A skin sore or infection may be present. Later, the foot becomes unstable and deformed.
Early detection and treatment of the condition can prevent deformity and loss of function as well as possible amputation.
Charcot foot is a deformity that results from nerve damage (neuropathy) in the foot or ankle. The nerve damage causes a loss of sensation that increases the risk of injury to the feet. When the foot is repeatedly injured, the weight-bearing joints start breaking down. Early signs of Charcot foot include redness, swelling, and increased temperature of the foot.
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