Reviewed by Corey Blackburn, DPM · Last reviewed November 11, 2026
“Diabetes can cause changes to the foot and leg. Some are mild while others are severe. Taking care of these changes before they become severe or permanent is very important to prevent problems down the road.”
— Corey Blackburn, DPM
People with diabetes should have a full foot exam at least once a year. At Prairie Foot & Ankle, Dr. Corey Blackburn, DPM, checks feeling, blood flow, skin and foot shape. He gives you a risk level and sets how often you should come back.
Diabetes can change your feet slowly, and often without pain. A foot that has lost feeling won’t warn you about a blister or a pebble in your shoe. A yearly exam finds those changes early, when they are simple to treat.
Our main clinic is at 3016 West Faidley Avenue in Grand Island. We also see patients at outreach clinics in Hastings, Superior, St. Paul, Broken Bow and Hebron.
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What happens at a diabetic foot exam?
You take off both shoes and socks so we can see the whole foot. Here is what we check.
Your history. Past sores or surgery, smoking, kidney health and how your blood sugar has been running.
Skin and nails. Calluses, cracks, color changes, thick nails and the skin between your toes.
Feeling. We touch a thin nylon filament to several spots on each foot. Sometimes we add a second test, such as a tuning fork for vibration.
Blood flow. We feel the pulses at your ankle and on top of your foot. If we suspect poor circulation, we order an ultrasound. We may also order an ankle brachial index, which compares the blood pressure at your ankle and your arm.
Foot shape and shoes. Bunions, hammertoes, changes in the arch and how your shoes fit. Bring the pair you wear most.
Your plan. You leave knowing your risk level, your next visit and what to watch for at home.
Your risk level sets your schedule
After the exam, Dr. Blackburn places you in 1 of 4 risk levels. Each level has its own visit schedule.
Very low. What the exam found: normal feeling and normal blood flow. How often we see you: once a year.
Low. What the exam found: loss of feeling or reduced blood flow. How often we see you: every 6 to 12 months.
Moderate. What the exam found: loss of feeling and reduced blood flow, or either one plus a foot deformity. How often we see you: every 3 to 6 months.
High. What the exam found: loss of feeling or reduced blood flow, plus a past foot ulcer, an amputation or kidney failure. How often we see you: every 3 months.
These schedules are based on the 2023 guidelines of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot. Dr. Blackburn may adjust yours to fit your feet and your health.
Diabetic shoes and inserts
The right shoes take pressure off the spots where sores start. If you qualify, Medicare Part B covers 1 pair of extra depth or custom shoes each calendar year. It also covers 2 or 3 more pairs of inserts. Many other insurance plans cover them too.
The doctor who treats your diabetes, often your primary care provider, signs a form saying you need them.
We refer you to a diabetic shoe supplier.
The supplier checks your coverage, then fits and dispenses your shoes and inserts.
With Medicare, you pay 20% of the approved amount after your Part B deductible.
We don’t fit diabetic shoes or check shoe coverage in our office. Ask us about a referral at your visit.
What can I do at home every day?
A 2 minute check each day is the best habit you can build. These steps protect feet that may not feel a problem.
Look at the top, bottom and sides of both feet and between your toes. Use a hand mirror or ask someone at home to help.
Wash in lukewarm water. Test it with your elbow, not your foot. Skip long soaks.
Dry well between your toes. Use lotion on the tops and bottoms, never between the toes.
Wear socks and shoes indoors and outside. Shake out each shoe before you put it on.
Cut toenails straight across. Leave corns and calluses to us. Razors and drugstore acid pads can cause wounds.
Keep feet dry and warm in a Nebraska winter. Numb toes can freeze without hurting.
Keep heating pads and space heaters away from your feet.
If you can’t reach or see your feet well, we can trim nails and care for calluses at your visit.
When to call us right away
Call (308) 646-0077 the same day if you notice any of these:
An open sore, blister or cut on your foot, even a small one
Redness, warmth or swelling, especially in one foot only
Drainage, or a smell from a sore or from inside your sock
A toe or part of your foot turning blue, black or very pale
New numbness, burning or tingling
Call our main line and follow the prompts, during office hours or after hours. Our text line is for non-urgent messages only.
If you have a foot wound with fever or chills, go to the nearest emergency room.
Already have a wound? Our team treats diabetic foot ulcers at the main clinic, at Grand Island Regional Medical Center and at Mary Lanning Wound Center in Hastings. Learn more on our Wound Care page.
Who provides your care
Corey Blackburn, DPM
Dr. Blackburn earned his degree at Des Moines University and completed residency at St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio. His focus includes diabetic foot care, wounds and ulcers, and rebuilding foot and ankle deformities. Read his bio.
Karl Vollers, APRN
Karl worked as an emergency room nurse in Grand Island before earning his master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He works with patients whose diabetic wounds need close follow up.
Where we see patients
Main clinic
Prairie Foot & Ankle
3016 West Faidley Avenue
Grand Island, NE 68803
Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Outreach and wound care clinics
Clinic days vary. Call for the next date.
Grand Island wound care: Grand Island Regional Medical Center, (308) 675-4732
Hastings wound care: Mary Lanning Wound Center, (402) 460-5516
Superior: Brodstone Memorial Specialty Clinic, (402) 207-1540
St. Paul: Howard County Medical Center, (308) 646-0077
Broken Bow: the Specialty Clinic at Jennie Melham Memorial Medical Center, (308) 646-0077
Hebron: Thayer County Health Services, (308) 646-0077
We accept Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Aetna, Medica, CHI/Uninet and workers’ compensation, among others. Spanish interpreters are available on request.
Questions patients ask
Do I need a referral for a diabetic foot exam?
In most cases, no. You can call us directly at (308) 646-0077. Diabetic shoes are different. Medicare needs the doctor who treats your diabetes to sign off on them.
Does Medicare cover diabetic foot exams?
Yes, if you have nerve damage from diabetes with loss of feeling. Part B covers an exam every 6 months, as long as you haven’t seen a foot care professional for another reason between visits. You pay 20% of the approved amount after your deductible.
My feet are numb but they don’t hurt. Do I still need an exam?
Yes. Numbness is the reason to come in. Loss of feeling hides injuries, and that is when small problems turn into wounds.
Can I cut my own toenails?
Many people with diabetes can, if they see well and have good feeling in their feet. Cut straight across and file sharp corners. If your nails are thick or your feet are numb, let us trim them.
What should I bring to my first visit?
Print and fill out the forms on our new patient page before you come. Bring them with the shoes you wear most, your medication list, your insurance card and your most recent A1C result if you have it.
How is diabetic foot care different from wound care?
Diabetic foot care keeps sores from starting. Wound care heals a sore that is already open. We do both, so your care stays with one team.
Call (308) 646-0077 · Contact Us
This page is general information about foot health, not a diagnosis. If you have diabetes and a foot problem, call your provider or our office.