What is a Diabetic Foot Exam?
A Diabetic Foot Exam is a structured clinical assessment designed to identify foot-related complications in patients with diabetes.
The exam begins with a detailed review of diabetes management, blood sugar control, and foot-specific history, including prior ulcers, vascular interventions, foot injury, other foot injury, and symptoms like numbness or pain. Clinicians then conduct a Review of Systems to check for constitutional, vascular, and foot-related symptoms.
The physical exam usually includes careful inspection of skin integrity, dermatological assessment, vascular assessment through pulse palpation, blood flow evaluation, neurological testing with a 10-g monofilament, vibration perception threshold assessment with a tuning fork, ankle reflexes, pinprick sensation testing with a small pin or pinprick test, and musculoskeletal assessment for foot deformities.
Based on findings, patients are stratified into low-, moderate-, or high-risk categories, which guide follow-up intervals and care recommendations.
The American College of Physicians (ACP) (n.d) provides a Diabetic Foot Exam template that guides clinicians through a comprehensive evaluation. This template emphasizes consistent documentation of patient history, physical findings, risk stratification, and management planning which are key elements for preventing serious outcomes such as foot ulcers and amputations.
The template also facilitates documentation of lab results, vaccination status, and education provided to the patient about keeping feet healthy.
