The Center for Wound Healing at Oswego Health Highlights the Importance of Foot Health During National Foot Health Awareness Month

The Center for Wound Healing at Oswego Health Highlights the Importance of
Foot Health During National Foot Health Awareness Month

(Oswego, NY: March 31, 2023) – As National Foot Health Awareness Month kicks off this April, The Center for Wound Healing at Oswego Health aims to educate the public on common foot wounds and treatment. Right now, nearly 7 million Americans are living with a chronic wound, and more than 2 million of those are suffering from diabetic foot ulcers.

Many suffering from chronic wounds have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as they have avoided needed care during the past two years. For those suffering from wounds on their feet, many of these untreated and undertreated wounds have resulted in amputation, according to a study from the American Diabetes Association.

Managed by Healogics, the nation’s leading provider of advanced wound care, The Center for Wound Healing treats chronic foot and leg wounds that are often caused by underlying conditions such as diabetes and vascular disease.

The most common types of foot wounds are diabetic foot ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, arterial ulcers, and pressure ulcers. The Center for Wound Healing specializes in treating these chronic wounds and non-responsive 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. Regular foot inspections are key to prevention.

● Proper footwear, a healthy diet and maintaining healthy glucose levels can also help keep feet sore-free.

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.

Lorraine Falanga, Nurse Practitioner and Hyperbaric Treatment Provider at the Center states, “Foot care is so important for diabetics because 1 in 3 will develop an ulcer; 1 in 2 will develop an infection; and 1 in 5 will end up with an amputation. Our goal is to treat foot ulcers quickly and effectively and avoid a life-altering outcome.”

Contact the Center for Wound Healing at Oswego Health to learn more about diabetic foot ulcers or if you have a wound that will not heal. No referral is necessary. To schedule an appointment, please call 315-326-3780 or visit www.oswegohealth.org.

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About Healogics, Inc.
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., Healogics is the nation’s wound healing expert. Last year over 350,000 patients received advanced wound care through a nationwide network of over 600 Wound Care Centers®. The Healogics team is made up of almost 3,000 employees, 4,000 affiliated physicians and a Healogics Specialty Physician practice group of nearly 300. In addition to the company’s network of outpatient Centers, Healogics partners with over 300 skilled nursing facilities to care for patients with chronic wounds and provides inpatient consults at more than 80 partner hospitals. As the industry leader, Healogics has the largest repository of chronic wound-specific patient data in the country. The Healogics Wound Science Initiative, an effort launched in 2017 to provide peer-reviewed research, recognizes the value and relevance of big data and advanced analytics to drive continuous, collaborative learning towards a better understanding of how to efficiently utilize healthcare resources for patients with wounds. For additional information, please visit Healogics.com.

About Oswego Health:
The mission of Oswego Health is to provide accessible, quality care and improve the health of residents throughout Oswego County. As a nonprofit healthcare system established in 1881, Oswego Health is proud to continue to be one of Oswego County’s largest employers. More than 1,200 employees spread throughout its 17 locations, work for the Oswego Health system, which includes the 132-bed community Oswego Hospital, a 32-bed psychiatric acute-care facility with multiple outpatient behavioral health service locations, The Manor at Seneca Hill, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility, and Springside at Seneca Hill, an independent retirement community. The health system also operates Oswego Health Home Care, the only hospital-based certified home healthcare agency in the County as well as two outpatient centers, including the Fulton Medical Center, offering urgent care, lab, medical imaging, physical therapy, and occupational health services, and the Central Square Medical Center, offering urgent care, lab, medical imaging, and physical therapy services. In addition, Oswego Health includes the Oswego Health captive professional corporation, Physician Care P.C., providing physician services in orthopedics, cardiology, ENT, gastroenterology, breast care, audiology, general surgery, bariatrics, and primary care. For more information about Oswego Health, please visit our website at www.oswegohealth.org.