Scientists claim that special footwear designed for diabetics could help to prevent foot diseases - which are rampant amongst sufferers of the disease in India.

Developed by the Central Leather Research of India (CLRI), the “diabetic footwear” is designed to reduce pressure at strategic points on the foot, thus reducing the abrasions that cause ulcers, fungal infections, warts, and lesions in the leg that cause problems for so many diabetics.

According to Gautham Gopalakrishna, head of the research group at CLRI, this footwear could reduce the chance of amputation from 85% to 44%.

“Over 300 pairs of footwear are being custom-made every month, and patients are being monitored closely. Of late we have had enquiries from Apollo Hospital in Delhi and other hospitals to set up similar facilities,“ Gopalakrishna said. “Some of the students we have trained have already set up centres for diabetic shoes in the Middle East and Britain as well.”

The footwear is manufactured using micro-cellular rubber and polyurethane that are good shock absorbers. It absorbs excess perspiration to keep the feet dry and distributes pressure evenly over the foot.

The results and figures released were collected from a nine-month study conducted by the CLRI on 241 diabetes sufferers divided into four groups. The first group wore shoes made from micro-cellular rubber, the second polyurethane, the third moulded insoles, and the fourth their regular footwear. After nine months, the first and second group saw an average 4% increase in their lesions, the fourth group saw a 33%, whilst the third group saw only a 1% increase in lesions.

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