We recently heard that a sufferer of type two diabetes should not wear the same shoes two days in a row. Is this true? If so, what is the reasoning behind this suggestion?

The concern about diabetic foot issues is an increased susceptibility to infection, because of both decreased resistance and decreased sensation (in some diabetics) which can allow a small injury to go undetected til it's infected. The idea of not wearing shoes two days in a row is to allow them to dry out and therefore kill bacteria. I don't think it's ever been studied to the point of being proven one way or the other; it's sort of a "common sense" concept that may or may not actually make a difference. Wearing clean socks every day might make more sense. And inspecting feet daily for sign of skin breakage, etc. Wearing properly fitting shoes is probably the most important of all, along with proper trimming of nails.

Actually it's a good rule of thumb for everyone to change out shoes and not wear the same pair 2 days in a row according to the American Podiatric Medical Association.

When you wear the same shoes day after day you expose yourself to a greater risk of developing athelete's foot, corns, calluses, blisters and many other ailments. If the shoe is an ill-fit your risks are even higher. Changing shoes gives the feet a chance to change from one set of friction points to another within the different shoes.

And I'm sure you know this, but with diabetes injury to the feet are very dangerous for the patient and can cause complications due to poor circulation.