Diabetic Foot Care: Read about diabetic foot care. Causes of foot problems in people with diabetes include footwear, nerve damage, poor circulation, trauma, infections, and smoking. Symptoms of foot problems in persons with diabetes include persistent pain, redness of the skin, leg or feet swelling, claudication, hard shiny skin on the legs, localized warmth around the wound, drainage or pus from the would, difficulty walking, fever, read streaking away from the wound, new or lasting numbness in the legs or feet. Any break in the skin can result in serious infection. Treatment depends upon the location and severity of the wound or problem. Amputation of the leg or foot is sometimes necessary.