Diabetes, exercise, and foot care: minimizing risks in patients who have neuropathy.

Exercise is an important component of diabetes management that can help maintain physical fitness and help slow the development of peripheral neuropathy. However, because of impaired sensation, a person who has diabetic peripheral neuropathy risks developing infected foot ulcers when exercising. These infections can eventually lead to lower-extremity amputation. Clinicians who are familiar with techniques for preventing diabetic foot ulcers, foot ulcer risk factors, and strategies for exercising safely with diabetes and insensate feet can provide foot care guidelines for patients with diabetes who exercise.