Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsNeuropathy and Charcot FootStagesSurgeryTreatmentAssistive Devices
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Neuropathy and Charcot Foot
Stages
Surgery
Treatment
Assistive Devices
This article discusses how Charcot foot develops and progresses and treatment interventions, including assistive walking devices and footwear.
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Why Does Neuropathy Cause Charcot Foot?
Diabetes damages small blood vessels throughout the body, decreasing blood flow to the nerves, which can cause neuropathy.
Neuropathy causes loss of sensation. This means that a person with foot neuropathy can experience an injury or cut their skin and not feel it. Also, a wound can develop, and due to poor blood flow, it doesn’t heal well.
Charcot foot deformities can eventually develop from foot injuries, such as a broken or dislocated bone, that go undetected due to neuropathy. Deformities can also result from long-term changes in how a person walks with decreased foot sensation.
Risk factors for Charcot foot include the following:
What Is a Diabetic Ulcer?Diabetic ulcersare open wounds or sores that often develop on the feet of people with diabetes. Neuropathy—nerve damage that can occur with diabetes—causes loss of sensation, which increases the risk of undetected injuries.
What Is a Diabetic Ulcer?
Diabetic ulcersare open wounds or sores that often develop on the feet of people with diabetes. Neuropathy—nerve damage that can occur with diabetes—causes loss of sensation, which increases the risk of undetected injuries.
Charcot Foot Stages
Nearly 13% of people with diabetes will develop Charcot foot. It is common for people with this condition to experience delays in treatment due to a missed diagnosis. One study reports that 79% of people with Charcot foot experience a 29-week delay in treatment due to missed diagnoses.
Charcot foot progresses through the following four stages:
When Do You Need Charcot Foot Surgery?
Surgery is required for Charcot foot if the condition can’t be managed with assistive walking devices, custom footwear, or casting.
A healthcare provider may recommend one of several types of surgery, including the following:
Charcot Foot Treatment to Help With Mobility
Treatment for Charcot foot involves immobilizing the foot so the bones can heal properly. Healthcare providers usually immobilize the foot with a casting or advise that you wear a medical boot to prevent your ankle and foot from moving.
While your foot is immobilized, you will be instructed not to put any weight on the foot to allow the bones to heal. This process can take several months or more.
After surgery, weight bearing is also restricted for several months while the foot is healing.
Once the bones are healed,orthotics(shoe inserts), braces (such as anankle-foot orthosisor AFO), or custom shoes might be required to help stabilize the joints and accommodate deformities that have developed.
Assistive Devices for Charcot Foot
Charcot foot makes it difficult to walk. You can use assistive devices such ascrutches, awalkerorcane, or a knee scooter to move around while your foot is immobilized in a cast or boot. You can also use a wheelchair to go longer distances or if both of your feet are affected.
For additional information, recommendations, and training in using assistive devices, consult aphysical therapist.
Summary
Treatment for Charcot foot includes immobilization and using assistive devices to relieve pressure on the foot. Depending on the severity of your condition, a healthcare provider may recommend surgery to clean up wounds, correct deformities, and in severe cases, amputate the foot.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Diabetic (Charcot) foot.Zhao, HM., Diao, JY., Liang, XJ.et al.Pathogenesis and potential relative risk factors of diabetic neuropathic osteoarthropathy.J Orthop Surg Res12, 142 (2017). doi.org/10.1186/s13018-017-0634-8Vopat ML, Nentwig MJ, Chong ACM, Agan JL, Shields NN, Yang SY.Initial diagnosis and management for acute charcot neuroarthropathy.Kans J Med. 2018;11(4):114-119.NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing Charcot foot.University of Michigan Health.Carcot foot (Charcot neuroarthropathy).Dardari D.An overview of Charcot’s neuroarthropathy.J Clin Transl Endocrinol. 2020;22:100239. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jcte.2020.100239Ha J, Hester T, Foley R, et al.Charcot foot reconstruction outcomes: A systematic review.J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2020;11(3):357-368. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jcot.2020.03.025
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Diabetic (Charcot) foot.Zhao, HM., Diao, JY., Liang, XJ.et al.Pathogenesis and potential relative risk factors of diabetic neuropathic osteoarthropathy.J Orthop Surg Res12, 142 (2017). doi.org/10.1186/s13018-017-0634-8Vopat ML, Nentwig MJ, Chong ACM, Agan JL, Shields NN, Yang SY.Initial diagnosis and management for acute charcot neuroarthropathy.Kans J Med. 2018;11(4):114-119.NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing Charcot foot.University of Michigan Health.Carcot foot (Charcot neuroarthropathy).Dardari D.An overview of Charcot’s neuroarthropathy.J Clin Transl Endocrinol. 2020;22:100239. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jcte.2020.100239Ha J, Hester T, Foley R, et al.Charcot foot reconstruction outcomes: A systematic review.J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2020;11(3):357-368. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jcot.2020.03.025
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Diabetic (Charcot) foot.Zhao, HM., Diao, JY., Liang, XJ.et al.Pathogenesis and potential relative risk factors of diabetic neuropathic osteoarthropathy.J Orthop Surg Res12, 142 (2017). doi.org/10.1186/s13018-017-0634-8Vopat ML, Nentwig MJ, Chong ACM, Agan JL, Shields NN, Yang SY.Initial diagnosis and management for acute charcot neuroarthropathy.Kans J Med. 2018;11(4):114-119.NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing Charcot foot.University of Michigan Health.Carcot foot (Charcot neuroarthropathy).Dardari D.An overview of Charcot’s neuroarthropathy.J Clin Transl Endocrinol. 2020;22:100239. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jcte.2020.100239Ha J, Hester T, Foley R, et al.Charcot foot reconstruction outcomes: A systematic review.J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2020;11(3):357-368. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jcot.2020.03.025
American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Diabetic (Charcot) foot.
Zhao, HM., Diao, JY., Liang, XJ.et al.Pathogenesis and potential relative risk factors of diabetic neuropathic osteoarthropathy.J Orthop Surg Res12, 142 (2017). doi.org/10.1186/s13018-017-0634-8
Vopat ML, Nentwig MJ, Chong ACM, Agan JL, Shields NN, Yang SY.Initial diagnosis and management for acute charcot neuroarthropathy.Kans J Med. 2018;11(4):114-119.
NYU Langone Health.Diagnosing Charcot foot.
University of Michigan Health.Carcot foot (Charcot neuroarthropathy).
Dardari D.An overview of Charcot’s neuroarthropathy.J Clin Transl Endocrinol. 2020;22:100239. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jcte.2020.100239
Ha J, Hester T, Foley R, et al.Charcot foot reconstruction outcomes: A systematic review.J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2020;11(3):357-368. doi:10.1016%2Fj.jcot.2020.03.025
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