Q: What is a “sharko”?

A: Spelled “Charcot”, this is a condition usually occurring in diabetic patients who have a severe loss of sensation in their feet, which is called neuropathy. Charcot is a condition affecting the bones and joints, usually of the feet, in which the bones can literally crumble apart and dislocate out of place. This is a serious condition that increases a person’s risk of foot ulceration, infection and amputation. It usually requires a lengthy period of immobilization with a special brace or cast, medical management of blood sugars, and sometimes surgical stabilization of dislocated bones.