Diabetes and Poor Wound Healing. Wound healing can be slowed drastically in patients with diabetes. Poor wound healing is one of the leading causes of amputation in diabetics. High blood glucose levels, poor circulation and neuropathy are of some of the reason why diabetics heal poorly. Research from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts reveals another possible reason for slow and poor would healing. The molecule, PGC-1 alpha, may be the culprit.