Diabetes
Diabetes, or diabetes mellitus
…is a disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood either due to lack of insulin (type 1) or being resistant to insulin (type 2). Insulin is a hormone that helps control your blood sugar (glucose) levels and use food for energy. In addition to affecting people of all ages, according to the American Diabetes Association, in 2019, 11.3% of the population had diabetes and 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed every year.
Diabetes can lead to other physical problems, such as weakness, decreased endurance, obesity, and balance issues.
These problems, whether alone or combined, can result in a fall and other serious injury. Physical activity and exercise can help your body to become more effective in lowering your blood glucose, and evidence strongly supports that physical therapy can play a significant role in the prevention, treatment and management of diabetes and its associated complications. It is recommended that those with diabetes participate in regular aerobic exercise and strength training to encourage positive adaptations in the control of blood sugar concentration, insulin action, muscular strength, and exercise tolerance. Our Physical Therapists can help teach you how to add physical activity safely and effectively into your life, and how to improve or avoid diabetes related problems.
