✅ Medically reviewed by Dr. Thomas Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatrist · Last updated April 6, 2026

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Treatment at Balance Foot & Ankle: Diabetic Foot & Circulation Screening →

In-Home Diabetic Foot Exams — Preventing Amputations One House Call at a Time

Every 30 seconds, a limb is lost to diabetes somewhere in the world. In the United States, diabetes is responsible for more than 50% of all lower limb amputations — and nearly all of them are preventable with early detection and proper care. For diabetic patients who are homebound or have difficulty getting to a clinic, our in-home diabetic foot exams bring that life-saving care directly to you.

The Risk That Silent Feet Create

Diabetic neuropathy causes loss of sensation in the feet. A small wound, blister, or pressure sore may be completely painless — yet if left untreated, it can progress from a minor skin break to a deep infection to osteomyelitis (bone infection) to amputation in a matter of weeks. Patients with poor circulation heal more slowly, and infections spread faster.

For homebound patients who miss regular podiatric appointments, this risk is dramatically elevated. One missed exam can be the difference between a healthy foot and a limb-threatening wound.

What Our In-Home Diabetic Foot Exam Includes

Our board-certified podiatric surgeons perform the same comprehensive exam at your home that we provide in our Howell and Bloomfield Hills offices:

• Vascular assessment — pulses, capillary refill, skin temperature, and color — indicators of circulation quality
• Neurologic assessment — monofilament testing, vibration testing, and reflex evaluation to measure neuropathy severity
• Skin assessment — callus formation, fissures, moisture, maceration, and early wound identification
• Wound evaluation — if present, we measure, photograph, and stage any wound; initiate appropriate treatment
• Nail assessment — treatment of thick, ingrown, or fungal nails that create pressure and portal-of-entry risk
• Footwear evaluation — checking shoes and socks for fit, pressure points, and foreign objects
• Risk stratification — categorizing your current foot risk level and scheduling appropriate follow-up

MLS Laser Therapy for Diabetic Wounds at Home

We bring a portable MLS dual-wavelength laser to home visits for patients with active diabetic wounds. FDA-cleared for wound healing, the laser accelerates tissue repair, reduces inflammation, and improves circulation at the wound site — helping wounds close that might otherwise stagnate and progress. This technology is available at your home, not just in our clinic.

Coordination with Your Diabetes Care Team

We send progress notes directly to your primary care physician, endocrinologist, and vascular surgeon after every visit. For Oakland County patients, we have an established relationship with the Grunberger Diabetes Institute. For Livingston County patients, we coordinate with Vassallo Medical Group.

📞 Don’t wait for a wound to become a crisis. Call (810) 206-1402 to schedule an in-home diabetic foot exam in Livingston or Oakland County.

In-Home Diabetic Foot Exams in Michigan: Preventing Amputations for Homebound Patients

The annual comprehensive diabetic foot examination — a covered Medicare benefit that identifies peripheral neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease, and preulcerative foot changes before they progress to wounds — is most critical for the patients who are least likely to receive it: homebound diabetic patients who cannot reliably access an office-based podiatric appointment. This is the population at highest risk for diabetic foot complications: patients who are already mobility-limited often have more advanced vascular and neurological disease than ambulatory patients, less daily foot inspection by themselves or caregivers, and greater delays between the development of a wound and its recognition and treatment. Balance Foot & Ankle‘s Michigan in-home diabetic foot examination service brings the full preventive evaluation to homebound diabetic patients in Livingston and Oakland counties.

Related Treatment Guides

• Diabetic Foot Care
• Plantar Fasciitis & Heel Pain Treatment
• Custom 3D Orthotics
• Sports Foot & Ankle Injury Treatment

The in-home diabetic foot exam at Balance Foot & Ankle includes all components of the standard office-based exam: monofilament sensory testing at 10 sites on each foot, vibratory sensation testing, ankle-brachial index screening using our portable ABI device, skin integrity and temperature assessment, nail assessment, footwear evaluation, and wound/preulcerative change identification. We document findings compatible with Medicare’s claims requirements for the diabetic foot exam benefit and communicate significant findings to the patient’s primary care physician or endocrinologist in writing. For homebound diabetic patients in Livingston and Oakland counties who have not had a diabetic foot examination in the past year — and particularly those with known neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease, or a history of previous foot ulcers — call Balance Foot & Ankle at (810) 206-1402 to schedule an in-home exam.

Medical References & Sources

• American Diabetes Association — Foot Complications
• PubMed Research — Diabetic Foot Care
• American Podiatric Medical Association — Diabetic Foot

Clinical References

1. Armstrong DG, Boulton AJM, Bus SA. Diabetic foot ulcers and their recurrence. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(24):2367-2375.
2. Lavery LA, Hunt NA, Ndip A, Lavery DC, Van Houtum W, Boulton AJM. Impact of chronic kidney disease on survival after amputation in individuals with diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2010;33(11):2365-2369.
3. Singh N, Armstrong DG, Lipsky BA. Preventing foot ulcers in patients with diabetes. JAMA. 2005;293(2):217-228.

Your Board-Certified Podiatrists

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM

Board-Certified · FACFAS

Dr. Carl Jay, DPM

Board-Certified Podiatrist

Dr. Daria Gutkin, DPM

Podiatrist

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM is a double board-certified podiatrist and foot & ankle surgeon at Balance Foot & Ankle Specialists in Southeast Michigan. With over a decade of clinical experience, he specializes in heel pain, bunions, diabetic foot care, sports injuries, and minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Biernacki is a member of the APMA and ACFAS, and his patient education content on MichiganFootDoctors.com and YouTube has reached over one million views.