Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes the diabetic shoes we offer different?
- Who are your shoes intended for?
- How do your shoes fit?
- Do all your shoes fit the same?
- What sizes are your shoes available in?
- What are your shoes made of?
- How can I minimize heel slippage?
- Are your shoes or boots OSHA/ANSI certified?
- How much do your shoes weigh?
- What types of inserts do you offer?
- What are your inserts made of?
- What makes our diabetic socks different?
- It seems like so many people have diabetes today. What are the real numbers?
- I have diabetes. What are my own numbers that I should be aware of?
- If my blood glucose number is so important, how do I control it?
- It's difficult to eat right when I travel. Do you have any suggestions?
- Now that I have diabetes, do I need to change the shoes I wear?
- Why do so many people with diabetes also have high blood pressure?
- I was just diagnosed with diabetes. How do I find a support group near where I live that can help me learn to manage my disease?
Have a question that doesn't appear here? Need additional information? Just call a Wellness Life Systems representative at 1-800-244-0249.
Q. What makes the diabetic shoes we offer different?
A. Our shoes are specially designed with the input of foot health professionals. They feature extra width and depth in the toe box and forefoot to relieve pressure from key areas of your feet, and they’re manufactured using only top quality materials. That makes them great for people with diabetes and other health conditions that affect the feet.
Q. Who are your shoes intended for?
A. Our shoes are designed for people with diabetes. We offer a variety of comfort footwear styles for people who meet the need.
Q. How do your shoes fit?
A. Wellness Life Systems shoes meet the American Lasting Standards. They typically fit true to size.
Q. Do all your shoes fit the same?
A. Typically, yes. Our shoe manufacturer uses one type of construction for all men's shoes. They use two types of construction, Standard and Euro, for women’s shoes. Women’s styles in our narrower, tapered Euro construction include Delight, Kristin, Vigor, Betsy, Betty, Lily, LuLu, Move, Walk, Paradise, Sunshine, Flute, Breeze and Susie. All other styles are the more rounded Standard construction. The material and design of the shoe may affect the way your shoes fit.
Q. What sizes are your shoes available in?
A. Men's shoes range from 6–12, 13, 14 and 15 in all styles. Men's widths range from B to EEEE in all styles. Women’s shoes are available in sizes 4–10 & 11 in all styles, with select styles available in size 10 1/2 and 12. Women's widths range from A to EE in all styles. AA width is available in select styles in sizes 8–11.
Q. What are your shoes made of?
A. Most of the shoes in our collection are constructed with full-grain leather uppers. Select styles are made from nubuck, a buffed leather similar to suede. Other models are made using lycra, a breathable, stretchable material. Our shoes feature full-leather linings, except the athletic models that utilize a cotton lining.
Q. How can I minimize heel slippage?
A. The best way to minimize heel slippage is to wear a lace-up shoe. Different lacing techniques can help reduce heel slippage. If a Velcro closure is your only option, placing a tongue pad under the tongue of the shoe will reduce heel slippage. Our manufacturer does not recommend the use of heel grippers, especially for people with diabetes.
Q. Are your shoes or boots OSHA/ANSI certified?
A. Our shoes do not have certification from either OSHA or ANSI. Our Protector boot does meet ASTM F2412-05/ASTM F2413-05 standards.
Q. How much do your shoes weigh?
A. Our shoes range in weight from 1.4 lbs.–2.5 lbs per pair with inserts. Call us and we can provide you with the exact weights of particular styles.
Q. What types of inserts do you offer?
A. Wellness Life Systems currently offers one type of inserts. For people with diabetes, Wellness Life Systems recommends our custom molded insert, which qualifies for Medicare reimbursement.
Q. What are your inserts made of?
A. Wellness Life Systems Medicare-reviewed inserts are made according to A5513 specifications using an EVA base and p-cell cover.
Q. What makes our diabetic socks different?
A. Our comfort socks are designed to keep your feet healthy. Their smooth-seam construction reduces the risk of unwanted friction that can lead to calluses. Anti-microbial odor control and nano bamboo charcoal fibers help keep your feet dry, which prevents infection. And because they’re non-binding, they don’t inhibit your circulation.
Q. It seems like so many people have diabetes today. What are the real numbers?
A. An estimated 23.6 million Americans — 7.8 percent of the population — have diabetes. Of these, 17.9 million have been diagnosed and an estimated 5.7 million remain unaware of their condition. In 2007, 57 million American adults had a condition called pre-diabetes. This occurs when the blood glucose level is higher than normal but not high enough to be termed diabetes. The good news is that a diabetes diagnosis is not inevitable. Studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes, and even bring their blood glucose levels back to normal.
Q. I have diabetes. What are my own numbers that I should be aware of?
A. Know your ABCs. Focus on the numbers that can affect your health. To reduce diabetes complications, such as heart attacks and strokes, the American Diabetes Association recommends the following:
- A1C:
- A three-month blood glucose average test that can monitor development and progression of eye, kidney and nerve damage. Target: less than 7 percent.
- Blood pressure:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure) is associated with heart attacks and strokes. Target: less than 130/80
- Cholesterol:
- Imbalanced cholesterol, often caused by diet, is associated with heart disease and heart attacks. Targets: less than 100 mg/dL for LDL for men and women; for HDL, more than 40 mg/dL for men and more than 50 mg/dL for women.
Q. If my blood glucose number is so important, how do I control it?
A. Using the "4 Ms" — medication, movement, meal planning and monitoring — can be very effective in controlling blood glucose levels. Medication and movement typically lower blood glucose, while meal planning helps you limit carbohydrates that tend to raise blood glucose. Monitoring helps you answer questions like: Do I need a snack? Can I safely exercise? Can I go to sleep without experiencing low blood glucose? Balancing medications, moving and meal planning with blood glucose monitoring will help you achieve your target regularly. Discuss the "4 Ms" with your doctor, and ask if meeting with a certified diabetes educator may be helpful in managing your diabetes. Controlled blood glucose helps reduce the risk of developing long-term complications.
Q. It's difficult to eat right when I travel. Do you have any suggestions?
A. If you take oral medications and/or insulin, you should always carry a simple form of carbohydrate such as juice, glucose tablets, candy or regular soda in case of hypoglycemia. Meals can be challenging, especially at airports, highway rest stops or food courts in shopping malls. Look for regular- or junior-sized meals or side orders (not super-sized, giant or deluxe). Avoid fried items. Watch the extra sauces and cheese, which can add hundreds of calories together. Try not to have more than one fast food meal per day while traveling.
Q. Now that I have diabetes, do I need to change the shoes I wear?
A. Amputation and foot ulceration are the most common consequences of diabetic neuropathy, and major causes of morbidity and disability in people with diabetes. It is advisable to wear well-fitted walking shoes or athletic shoes. The goal is to avoid shoes that pinch or rub or place undue pressure on any area of the foot. Blisters caused from rubbing can easily become infected. Increased pressure on the bottom of the foot might require cushions to redistribute the pressure and prevent calluses and ulcers. People with bony deformities, such as hammertoes or bunions, may need extra-wide or extra-deep shoes.
Q. Why do so many people with diabetes also have high blood pressure?
A. Diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) often go hand in hand. Both are linked to our aging population, a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. There is also a metabolic link between diabetes and hypertension due to a resistance in the way the body reacts to insulin. Increases in blood insulin make the blood vessels widen. This widening affects the sympathetic nervous system and, directly or indirectly, makes the kidneys retain salt, which raises the blood pressure. Excessive blood insulin also promotes atherosclerosis, which hardens the blood vessels, further elevating blood pressure. Blood pressure should be treated to 130/80 in people with diabetes.
Q. I was just diagnosed with diabetes. How do I find a support group near where I live that can help me learn to manage my disease?
A. Many hospitals offer diabetes support groups. Check your local newspaper, hospital or health department for support group locations and meeting dates. Endocrinologists (physicians who specialize in diabetes) may also offer support groups that are open to all patients. Check the yellow pages for "Endocrinologists" and give them a call. You can also check with your primary care physician or visit this link on HMDiabetes.com.
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