Foot ulceration is a complication that affects a significant proportion of the ever-increasing number of people with diabetes in the UK. Nurses caring for patients with diabetes are ideally placed to contribute to diabetic foot management through assessment, education and appropriate timely referral. This article examines how pathophysiological changes associated with diabetes and the demanding functional role of the foot predispose individuals to foot ulceration, how to assess and classify the diabetic foot and the principles of preventive and curative management.