Diabetes can be difficult enough to manage on its own without the added pain/discomfort caused by symptoms relating to the feet and the hassle of trying to alleviate these symptoms. So, what exactly are diabetic socks and how do they differ from other types of performance socks and the regular socks you have in your home drawers? In this blog, we explore these topics as well as a variety of different things to consider before purchasing and ways to make sure you’ve chosen the best diabetic socks for you.
What are diabetic socks?
Diabetic socks are a type of sock seemingly similar to your regular, everyday socks with a few key points of difference – they’re specifically designed to help prevent and alleviate the symptoms associated with diabetes and decrease the risks of potential injuries to the feet. The best diabetic socks will do this through a combination of non-restrictive friction/pressure reduction, blood flow/circulation assistance while also managing to keep feet comfortable and dry.
Unlike regular socks, diabetic socks can also have other nifty assistive features like a seamless design with different stitching structures to keep consistency all over the sock, meaning no intrusive bits of material are able to rub against, dig into or irritate the feet. They can also be intentionally coloured white (particularly the soles of the sock) in order to make wounds and any discharge easily noticeable, since a diabetic may be unaware of these issues otherwise.
What to consider when buying diabetic socks
- First and foremost, diabetic socks need to be comfortable – this can also be helped by ensuring a correct fit.
Work out the type of diabetic socks that your situation and symptoms require – What are the best socks for diabetics experiencing similar symptoms to mine? Compression socks? Crew socks? Diabetic socks? - The best diabetes sock should also assist with managing blood flow and helping circulation through the lower extremities – make this a priority.
When asking yourself, ‘what socks are best for diabetics?’, one thing at the top of the list needs to be the materials used – look for socks of a suitable weight to your situation, something which can be breathable and moisture-free, anti-fungal/bacterial and with ample padding and support to help prevent sores, wounds and blisters. - Your situation may also benefit from the use of a combination of supportive footwear – would it help to combine your diabetic socks with purpose-built footwear or diabetic insoles?
- Are you after a simplistic, cost-effective solution which can help to alleviate and prevent feet-related symptoms for diabetics? Here’s a handy systematic review relating to socks for people with Diabetes and the way in which they can be a cheap and easy way to help alleviate Diabetes and feet-related symptoms – for example, reducing plantar pressure (and subsequent foot ulcers).
How do I choose the best diabetic socks right for me?
- Consult a doctor or podiatrist on what’s best for you
Before you do anything, if you’re diabetic and begin experiencing foot pain, major discomfort of any sort, tingling, swelling, injuries or numbness resulting in injury, we recommend you speak to your friendly local GP or a podiatrist first, in order to diagnose what exactly it is you’re experiencing, help gauge the level of severity and guide you on any other matters relating to diabetes and your feet, prevention and ways to get them healthy again. - Finding out which sock is right for you
Once you have a firm grasp on your situation, you need to work out the type of sock you require. If the symptoms centre around swelling and fluid retention, compression socks might be the best option – they serve the main purpose of helping with the management of your blood flow and circulation, pivotal in easing swelling and related symptoms. Maybe for something a little more normative and for everyday use and milder symptoms, diabetic crew socks may suffice with their pressure point management and blood flow circulation. Then for those experiencing a variety of symptoms, purpose-built diabetic socks would be the best bet. Managing multiple foot-related symptoms becomes simplified when you have a singular pair of socks that can help with:- Pain
- Swelling
- Numbness
- Neuropathy
- Circulation/blood flow issues
- Friction and pressure relief
- Easing/preventing blisters, wounds, cuts and infections (plus identifying that something has occurred, which diabetics may not be aware of due to numbness)
- Finding diabetic socks which provide the right comfort and fit
Now you’ve figured out the type of sock you need, what next? Being one of the parts of the body to take on the most amount of weight and pressure, comfort is paramount. When choosing your sock, make sure that your socks are the right size and fit correctly – this is crucial. Diabetic socks should also be padded but void of any obtrusive seams, stitching and bits of excessive material which could dig into skin or cause friction resulting in blistering, injury or infection. The material your sock consists of should also be breathable (ideally with antifungal and antibacterial properties) and made of something like wool or bamboo, which tend to have softer fibres. - Test out the socks to ensure they’re right for you
So now you’ve got all the tools required to decipher what the best diabetic socks are – you’re aware of the type of socks you’re after, you’ve found a comfortable, durable, well-fitting pair of Diabetes socks – what’s next? Now it’s time for a trial run. Give the socks a try as you would on any normal day – are they doing the job they’re supposed to? If they’re providing the comfort, additional relief and support they’re supposed to, mission complete! This is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of our 100% happiness guarantee and try any items from our amazing range of products before you buy and if you’re not completely satisfied within the first 30 days of use, we’ll give you your money back. If your problems persist or seem to get worse in any way, we urge you to speak to our team of friendly professionals or in more severe and longer-lasting instances, pay your local doctor a visit right away.
Lightfeet proudly stock some of the best diabetic socks Australia has access to – make sure to check out our online range of podiatrist-designed socks today, to help alleviate or find relief from your symptoms with the certainty that your support footwear was developed to the highest of orthopaedic standards.
Who should wear diabetic socks?
Despite their purpose-specific design, diabetic socks can be worn by anyone – they provide particular benefits to those suffering from the disease and its associated symptoms pertaining to the feet.
The best socks for diabetic neuropathy can be worn proactively to try and avoid injuries and discomfort from occurring. They also can be worn by those experiencing nerve damage, cuts, blisters, general irritation (with resulting infections) or swelling and numbness or tingling of the feet, in order to help alleviate these symptoms. Diabetic socks aim to assist if you may be experiencing changes in foot colour or temperature, irritation, nerve damage, blisters or fungal infections. They can also help with frequently sweaty or moist feet. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, then diabetic socks may help you.
There’s a handful of options when it comes to choosing the right diabetic sock for you, so if you’re still unsure, it’s important to consult a relevant doctor or podiatrist to find out what’s best for you.
Where can I buy the best diabetic socks in Australia?
For any serious or prolonged foot pain and the other symptoms related to diabetes which we’ve gone into detail above, the team at Lightfeet highly suggest you consult your friendly local podiatrist or doctor. Lightfeet’s range of diabetic socks have been designed by Australian podiatrists, delivering on comfort thanks to antibacterial bamboo yarn. This is the place to purchase diabetic socks if you’re after quality, podiatrist-designed socks at affordable prices (plus we ship Australia-wide!). We have a firm belief in the quality of our products and our ‘100% Happiness’ guarantee is a testament to this – if you’re unhappy with anything you’ve purchased after 30 days of use, you’ll get your money back. We know that navigating the world of support footwear can be difficult, particularly when managing your diabetes so please feel free to get in touch with our experts today if you have any questions or there’s anything we can help with.
External references used
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2022. Diabetes and Your Feet. [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/healthy-feet.html.
Otter, S., Rome, K., Ihaka, B., South, A., Smith, M., Gupta, A., Joseph, F. and Heslop, P., 2015. Protective socks for people with diabetes: a systematic review and narrative analysis. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 8(1).
Other relevant footwear guides:
Best footwear for plantar fasciitis
Best arch support thongs
