Diabetic Foot Manual - Episode 5 - Deformities, Calluses & Early Warning Signs

Meet Milagros: 52 years old, diabetic for eight years, irregular glucose, and a love of high heels. She also has a callus — and for a person with diabetes, that callus is the whole story. When neuropathy mutes pain, pressure points from poorly chosen shoes turn into wounds long before anyone notices.\ \ This episode of the Diabetic Foot Manual reframes the callus as a pre-malignant sign, not a cosmetic nuisance, and walks through the four deformities every patient and clinician should be able to name on sight.\ \ ### The four deformities to know\ \ - Hammered toes — toes bend permanently downward, so friction lands on the tip and top of each toe.\ - Hallux valgus (bunion) — the big toe angles inward, creating a bony bump that rubs the inside of narrow shoes.\ - Claw toes — toes curl under, creating two danger zones: the top of the bend and the tip.\ - Metatarsal prominences — bony bumps under the ball of the foot where pressure builds into a callus, then an ulcer.\ \ Naming the shape tells you exactly where to inspect for wounds.\ \ ### The do / don't list\ \ Do:\ \ - See a podiatrist regularly.\ - Wear the correct shoe for your foot shape.\ - Hydrate your feet daily and inspect them every day.\ \ Don't:\ \ - Shave or cut a callus with a razor blade.\ - Use chemical callus removers — they can burn the skin.\ - Walk barefoot.\ - Wait for an open wound to act.\ \ Three takeaways from Milagros: mind your shoes, respect the callus, and see the specialists — a podiatrist and traumatologist catch problems before they open up. Next episode, you'll meet Pedro and learn exactly what to do the moment a wound appears.\ \ Original content by Alianza Para El Salvataje del Pie Diabético, Peru — brought to you by Pingoo and WoundScribe AI's diabetic foot care solution, with companion tools for patient engagement and education.