Relief Is Here for Foot Ulcers

A particular surgery could help with diabetic foot ulcers. The results of a study published recently in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery showed that surgery to lengthen the Achilles tendon significantly reduces the chance that people with diabetes will suffer from recurrence of diabetic foot ulcers. The study included 64 diabetics, divided into 2 groups, who had an ulcer on the ball of the foot and had had no amputations. The first group received a foot cast, and the second group received both a cast and the surgery.

After 7 months, group 2 was 75% less likely to have an ulcer recurrence, compared with group 1. Two years later, the group that received the cast and surgery was 52% less likely to have an ulcer return.