Feet First

Source: Times of India
The boots of the city's policemen, part of the uniform introduced by the British, are now a major worry for them. Around 80% of police personnel in the city, according to sources at the police hospital, either have vascular problems or develop corns because of these boots.

They are unsuitable for the city's weather conditions and cause conditions like varicosis (enlargement of varicose vein which circulates blood from the legs) and varicose ulcers. The latter ailment, like diabetic ulcers, could lead to amputation if not treated on time, sources told TOI.

"The badly-fitting boots obstruct the re-flow of blood from the legs. Compounding this is the excess sweating caused by the boots of inferior quality leather. This leads to skin irritation which then turns into rashes and wounds, causing ulcers. We perform varicose ulcer surgeries on a weekly basis," a doctor at the police hospital said.

Police personnel, especially those in the lower ranks, are forced to wear these boots, sourced and supplied to them by the department.

Given that varicose ulcer is a major health hazard, policemen with the problem are urged to get admitted to hospital and undergo treatment. "We dress up the wound if it is at the beginning stage and make them lie down with their legs lifted up. They need a fair amount of rest in this position," doctor said.

More hospitalizations mean more trouble for the already short-staffed city police. "Some of the sick policemen approach us for postings at police outposts in hospitals so that they can get medical aid fast," a senior official said.

"The boots are of poor quality and often we do not get boots of our size. Some of those that are of the correct size do not fit properly. The leather is also of inferior quality. We are forced to wear these boots for long hours and very often we get skin rashes due to excess sweating in the extreme hot climate," a constable said.

Many constables told TOI that they dumped the boots provided by the department and bought better products from the open market. "We spend money from our pocket and purchase boots in the open market. Many of us have suffered from these boots for the past few years and we do not want to take anymore risks. The authorities are aware of the problem but they are not ready to rectify it," an inspector said.

To tackle these kinds of problems MV Hospital for Diabetes and Diabetes Research Centre, Royapuram Chennai headed by Dr Vijay Viswanathan provides routine integrated examination of the feet of diabetic patients. New types of foot wear are prepared at M.V.Hospital, Royapuram with technical assistance from Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) Chennai for diabetic patients with foot complications.

Also special foot wear made up of new types of insole materials for patients with high risk foot. Lightweight, inexpensive and aesthetically appealing, this footwear will be extremely beneficial to diabetes that require specialized footwear to prevent pressure points on the feet from developing into calluses and ulcers that could get infected.

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