How Podiatric Care Can Help Reduce the Risk of Major Amputation

For people living with diabetes or poor circulation, taking care of your feet is about much more than treating pain or routine nail care. Regular foot evaluations can play an important role in identifying problems early and helping protect mobility.

A recent 2026 study provides additional evidence supporting the important role podiatrists can play in preventing serious complications of the diabetic foot.

What did the study find?

Researchers analyzed national healthcare claims data involving more than 269,000 patients with type 2 diabetes and foot ulcers and/or peripheral arterial disease.

The study looked at whether patients received podiatric care and examined the relationship between podiatry involvement and major non-traumatic lower-extremity amputation.

The findings were encouraging:

• Patients who received care involving a podiatrist had lower odds of major amputation compared with patients who received care without podiatry involvement.
• The benefit of podiatric involvement was seen across different healthcare settings.
• When podiatry was incorporated into vascular-surgical care, the odds of major amputation were substantially lower than when vascular surgery was provided without podiatry involvement.

This matters because diabetic foot problems are rarely caused by just one issue. Diabetes, circulation problems, nerve damage, pressure, wounds, infection, and changes in the way a person walks can all contribute to serious foot complications.

Why does seeing a podiatrist matter?

One of the most important aspects of podiatric care is early detection. A small area of redness, a callus, a blister, a change in skin temperature, an ingrown toenail, or a small wound may not seem serious at first. However, in someone with diabetes or poor circulation, a seemingly minor problem can sometimes progress into an ulcer or infection.

A podiatrist can evaluate the feet for problems such as:

• Loss of protective sensation
• Poor circulation
• Skin breakdown and ulcers
• Pressure points and calluses
• Ingrown or damaged toenails
• Foot deformities
• Signs of infection
• Changes in walking mechanics
• Areas at increased risk for future wounds

Identifying these problems early allows treatment and prevention strategies to begin before a small problem becomes a major one.

Podiatry is part of a team

The study also highlights something very important: preventing amputation is a team effort.

Patients with diabetes, peripheral arterial disease, or serious foot wounds may need care from several healthcare professionals, including podiatrists, vascular surgeons, primary care physicians, endocrinologists, wound-care specialists, nurses, and other members of the healthcare team.

Each provider brings a different area of expertise. Podiatrists are specifically trained to evaluate and treat conditions affecting the foot and ankle and to recognize problems that can place a patient's limb at risk. When these professionals work together, problems can be identified sooner and appropriate treatment can be coordinated more effectively.

Prevention starts before there is a wound

One of the biggest misconceptions about diabetic foot care is that you should see a podiatrist only after you develop a wound. Prevention is much more effective when it starts early.

If you have diabetes, poor circulation, neuropathy, a history of ulcers, or previous foot problems, regular professional foot evaluations can help identify risk factors before they turn into serious complications.

Simple steps can make an important difference:

• Check your feet regularly
• Wear properly fitted shoes
• Avoid barefoot walking
• Control blood sugar
• Seek professional care when you notice a change

Why this matters for your mobility

Your feet are the foundation of your mobility. When a foot problem becomes severe enough to require hospitalization, surgery, or amputation, the consequences can extend far beyond the foot itself. Mobility, independence, ability to work, and quality of life can all be affected.

That is why preventive foot care is so important. At Mobility Foot & Ankle, our goal is to make professional podiatric care more accessible by bringing care directly to patients in their homes and facilities.

For patients who have difficulty traveling to a traditional medical office, a mobile podiatry visit can make it easier to receive an evaluation and address problems before they become more serious.

The bottom line

The message from this recent research is encouraging: podiatric care can be an important part of limb preservation for patients at risk of serious diabetic foot complications.

If you have diabetes, peripheral arterial disease, neuropathy, a history of foot ulcers, or difficulty safely getting to a traditional podiatry office, don't wait until a small foot problem becomes an emergency.

Early evaluation and ongoing preventive care can help you protect your feet, maintain your mobility, and stay independent.

Your feet carry you through life. Taking care of them is an important part of taking care of your overall health.

Research source

Shih CD, Javanbakht T, Tower DE, Albright RH, Tan TW, Brooks B, Wrobel JS. Podiatrists Decrease the Odds of Major Amputation in Patients with Diabetes and/or Peripheral Arterial Disease in All Practice Settings: A Retrospective Administrative Claims Data Analysis. Preprints.org. Published April 10, 2026.

Important: This study is currently a preprint and has not yet undergone peer review. The findings demonstrate an association between podiatric care and lower odds of major amputation; they do not prove that podiatric care alone prevents amputation.