Diabetic foot.
India is home to over 100 million people living with diabetes, yet one of the most devastating complications of the disease, the diabetic foot, continues to receive far less attention than it demands. An estimated 14 lakh diabetes-related amputations take place in the country every year, including both minor and major procedures. Of these, approximately 1.4 lakh are major below-knee or above-knee amputations. According to Dr. Sanjay Sharma, a Bengaluru-based podiatric surgeon and Founder of FootSecure, up to 80 per cent of these amputations are preventable.
Dr. Sharma, who holds an MS in General Surgery, came to podiatry almost by chance. "The more I understood the field, the more interested I became in the way it combines surgery, prevention, biomechanics and long-term patient care," he says. What drew him most, he adds, was the opportunity to save limbs and, in many cases, save lives. "A diabetic foot problem is not just about a wound. It affects mobility, independence, livelihood and survival."
When he started FootSecure, the gap in the system was immediately apparent. Patients were moving between diabetologists, surgeons, orthopaedic specialists, physiotherapists, orthotists and wound care providers, but there was no single, coordinated system looking at the foot as a whole. "We did not want to create just another clinic. We wanted to build an integrated lower-limb and wound care ecosystem," he explains. Today, FootSecure operates across multiple locations in Bengaluru, bringing together podiatric surgeons, vascular surgeons, plastic surgeons, orthopaedic specialists, physiotherapists and orthotists under one roof.
A key part of FootSecure's approach is what Dr. Sharma describes as a "phygital" model, combining physical clinical care with digital technology. On the clinical side, this includes consultation, neurological and vascular assessment, wound care, surgery, orthotics, customised footwear and rehabilitation. Digitally, the team uses platforms such as Foot360 and Wound360 to capture wound photographs, measurements and clinical data. Technologies like 3D foot mapping, plantar pressure scans and thermal imaging allow early detection of complications before the skin breaks down. "AI supports the clinician; it does not replace clinical judgement," he clarifies. The biggest advantage, he says, is access: a doctor in a smaller city can screen a patient, share findings with the specialist team and organise care without requiring the patient to travel repeatedly.
Dr. Sharma recently represented India at the Global Podiatry Summit 2026 in Copenhagen, where he spoke on limb salvage. The strongest global message, he says, was that limb salvage is never the work of one specialist alone. "The best outcomes come when diabetologists, podiatrists, vascular surgeons, wound care specialists, orthotists and rehabilitation teams work together." Another major conversation was around prevention, identifying risk much earlier, whether that is loss of sensation, poor circulation, deformity or unsuitable footwear, and acting before the skin breaks down.
At FootSecure, this preventive approach includes minimally invasive surgery for selected high-risk patients, such as tendon lengthening and tendon transfers, which help rebalance the foot and reduce pressure over vulnerable areas. The results speak for themselves: FootSecure's internal amputation rate stands at approximately 2.6 per cent, compared with an estimated Indian average of around 6 per cent in comparable diabetic foot populations.
Beyond diabetic foot care, FootSecure also works with patients across age groups, from children with foot deformities to athletes with sports injuries and elderly patients dealing with arthritis and post-traumatic conditions. "Persistent foot pain is not normal, and a callus is not always cosmetic. It may be a warning sign of excessive pressure underneath," Dr. Sharma notes.
Having trained over 500 doctors in diabetic foot management, Dr. Sharma is clear about where the biggest gap lies. "The diabetic foot is still examined only after a problem appears. Doctors routinely monitor blood sugar, kidneys, eyes and the heart, but many patients go through a consultation without anyone removing their shoes and socks." He advocates for making diabetic foot examination a compulsory clinical skill in medical and nursing education, and for building recognised podiatry education pathways in India. "Every person with diabetes should have their feet examined before they develop a wound, not after."
To know more, visit: https://footsecure.com/
