Diabetes and exercise

Diabetes Outreach(March 2011)

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Diabetes and exercise

Learning outcomes

> State why exercise is important.

> Understand the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes when exercising.

> State how much and what kind of exercise is recommended.

> Describe how exercise is managed including precautions.

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> Exercise helps insulin work better.> Exercise helps control BGL’s.> Exercise improves muscle tone and heart

function.> Exercise can improve a person’s sense of

wellbeing.

Benefits of exercise

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The benefits of exercise outweigh the risks but:> Musculoskeletal injury can occur.> Hypoglycaemia can occur if on certain

medications.> Major cardiovascular events can occur.

Adequate planning and medical assessment is the key.

Risks of exercise

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Preparing for exercise is important.

What general advice would you give a person with diabetes about exercising safely?

Group activity

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Sally has had type 2 diabetes for 10 years and she is 47 years old. She is on long acting insulin (analogue) at night and Metformin tablets during the day. Sally wants to start going to the gym to do aerobic and resistance training. What does she need to consider?

Type 2 diabetes and exercise

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Bill has type 1 diabetes and he wants to know why it is so hard to get his BGL ‘right’ when he exercises. Some days it goes sky high while on others it goes too low. What could you say to Bill?

Type 1 diabetes and exercise

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> Length?

> Type?

> Duration?

> Intensity?

How much exercise?

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> Check up.> Set your own pace.> Monitor.> Hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia.> Retinopathy or neuropathy.> Medical identification.

Points to remember

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Useful resources

> Be active (Government of SA)

www.beactive.com.au/ > Diabetes Outreach

www.diabetesoutreach.org.au> Exercising with type 1 diabetes

www.ext1d.com.au/diabetes/

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> American Diabetes Association (2004) Physical activity / exercise and diabetes. Diabetes Care, 27(Supplement 1): pS58-S62.

> Riddell M C and Perkins B A (2006) Type 1 diabetes and vigorous exercise: Applications of exercise physiology to patient management. Canadian Journal of Diabetes, 30(1): p63-71.

> Diabetes Outreach (2009), Diabetes Manual, Section 9, Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, Adelaide

References

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