WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
April is National Foot Health Awareness Month and a time when the experts
at the Center for Wound Healing suggest people take a moment to stand up for their feet. Right
now, 6.7 million Americans are living with a chronic wound, and more than two million of those are
suffering from a diabetic foot ulcer.
The Center for Wound Healing treats chronic foot and leg wounds that are often caused by
underlying conditions such as diabetes and vascular disease. Are your feet at risk? Some of the
primary risk factors for wounds of the feet include: neuropathy, deformity of the foot, history of foot
ulceration, absent or diminished pulses and prior amputation.
“The statistics are truly startling when you realize that about 60 percent of non-traumatic limb
amputations are performed on people living with diabetes,” said D. Scott Covington, MD, FACS,
CHWS, executive vice president, provider education and engagement with Healogics, Inc. Healogics
manages the Center for Wound Healing specializing in the treatment of chronic wounds and nonresponsive
conditions.
There are preventative measures everyone can do to improve foot health. The Center for Wound
Healing offers the following foot care tips:
• Check your feet for red spots, cuts, swelling, blisters, sores or other injuries daily.
• Wash your feet every day and dry them with care, especially between the toes.
• Trim your toenails as needed after you’ve washed and dried your feet.
• Wear properly fitting shoes that do not rub or pinch your feet.
• Always wear socks or stockings with your shoes, and never walk barefoot or while wearing just
socks.
• Physical activity can help increase circulation in your feet. Consult your healthcare team to see
which physical activity is right for you.
Take off your socks at your next check-up, and alert your doctor to any problems with your feet. The
Center for Wound Healing offers comprehensive wound care and leading-edge treatments including
hyperbaric oxygen therapy, negative pressure wound therapy, bio-engineered skin substitutes,
biological and biosynthetic dressings and growth factor therapies.
For more information on the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers or chronic or infected wounds, contact the
Center for Wound Healing located on the campus of Three Rivers Health in Medical Office Building 2, or
call 269.273.9600.
About the Center for Wound Healing at Three Rivers Health
The Center for Wound Healing is a member of the Healogics network of nearly 800 Centers, with
access to benchmarking data and proven experience treating approximately 2.5 million chronic
wounds. The Center for Wound Healing offers highly specialized wound care to patients suffering
from diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, infections and other chronic wounds which have not healed in a
reasonable amount of time. Some of the leading-edge treatments offered at the Wound Care Center
include negative pressure wound therapy, debridement, application of cellular-based tissue or skin
substitutes to the wound, offloading or total contact casts and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
About Healogics
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., Healogics and its affiliated companies manage a network of
700 outpatient Wound Care Centers® across the United States and multiple locations in the United
Kingdom. Healogics currently has more than 3,000 employees, including nearly 300 employed
providers (Healogics Specialty Providers). In addition to the company’s network of outpatient Wound
Care Centers, Healogics providers partner with over 400 skilled nursing facilities to care for patients
with chronic wounds. More than 300,000 patients were treated by Healogics providers in 2016. For
additional information, please visit Healogics.com.
Serving the Three Rivers area for over 100 years, Three Rivers Health has offered its patients and
community technology-driven care, including a wide array of inpatient, rehabilitation, outpatient,
wellness, hospice care, and specialty clinic services. To discover more about Three Rivers Health, call
269.278.1145 or visit trhealth.org.
