November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, which is an opportune time for us to highlight some basic facts about this condition and to explain how physical therapy as a supplementary treatment can help patients manage it. If you or someone you know is looking to introduce a higher level of activity while living with diabetes, physical therapy can support that transition.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce (type 1 diabetes), or properly use (type 2 diabetes) insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that allows glucose or sugar to enter cells and provide the necessary energy for daily activities. However, if the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or if the body doesn’t adequately respond to insulin, the result is a build-up of excessive amounts of glucose in a person’s blood. The result can create a toxic situation for cells throughout the body and can lead to other health conditions in the body. It can also contribute to physical problems such as weakness, reduced endurance, obesity, and balance issues all resulting from a sedentary lifestyle.
Managing Diabetes with Physical Therapy
Treatment for diabetes varies on a patient-by-patient basis. Because diabetes affects the body in many ways, it’s important that diabetic patients coordinate with their physicians. Treatment generally involves regularly monitoring blood-sugar levels and taking medication. Additionally, as a supplement to other care, physical therapy is often recommended and can lead to improved management of many of the problems associated with the condition.
Physical therapy offers many great benefits for the diabetic patient. A therapist can help people with diabetes get their lives back. During treatment, patients learn how to participate in safe, effective exercise programs designed to improve their ability to move, perform daily activities, reduce pain, and hopefully lower blood glucose levels. Additionally, physical therapists are uniquely qualified to identify how items like footwear may impact a diabetic patient’s comfort and overall safety when engaging in basic activities such as walking.
Learn More:
APTA – Physical Therapy Guide to Diabetes
https://www.choosept.com/guide/physical-therapy-guide-diabetes
Benefits of exercise:
- Improved function
Improve functional capacity (i.e. walk longer, get in/out of a chair easier, or even participate in a specific sport).
- Weight loss
Burn calories to lose weight or maintain healthy weight.
- Improved circulation
Increase blood circulation to arms and legs.
- Decreased medication
Reduce or potentially eliminate need for medications to control diabetes.
- Reduced blood pressure
Reduce blood pressure/cholesterol and overall risk for heart disease.
What to expect when working with a physical therapist:
- Education on the relationship between physical activity and diabetes
- Strength and flexibility testing to identify areas of weakness that limit your function
- Pain-free exercise program designed just for you to enhance and maximize your ability to function
- Screening for sensitive areas inhibiting current participation in activities and suggestions/ treatments to address these issues
- One-on-one consultation with a physical therapist sensitive to your individual metabolic system
- Regular follow ups to ensure long-term functional gains
Goal setting:
- Improve cardiovascular and functional capacity measured through standardized testing
- Achieve the recommended levels of exercise suggested by the American Diabetes Association and American college of Sports Medicine
