03 Aug Physical Therapy and Diabetes

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose (sugar) becomes too high due to the body’s inability to produce enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells in the body are unable to react normally with the insulin stored in the body. Diabetes can affect anyone at any age and can be associated with muscle weakness, decreased endurance, obesity, balance problems, and a sedentary lifestyle.

How can a Physical Therapist help?

A physical therapist can do a lot to help a person manage diabetes because physical activity and exercise are important and effective ways to lower high blood glucose levels.

“At Trio Rehabilitation,  we focus on developing safe and effective exercise programs to improve mobility, daily activity performance, pain reduction, and blood glucose levels.”

Sarah Adams,
Physical Therapist at Trio Rehabilitation and Wellness in Boerne, TX

Physical therapy treatments can also help people with diabetes heal any associated skin problems or wounds. A physical therapist will conduct a complete assessment including arm and leg strength, flexibility, endurance, balance, sensation, and walking abilities to design an individualized treatment program to address your needs. This program can help improve motion, strength, flexibility, endurance, balance and coordination, walking ability, pain levels, blood glucose levels, healing of skin sores, home exercise programs, and ability to perform normal daily activities.

How does exercise affect blood sugar levels?

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are several ways physical activity and exercise affects blood glucose levels.

• Exercise can increase insulin sensitivity, so your cells are better able to take up glucose during and after activity.
• Stimulate non-insulin mechanism to help your muscles contract during activities, which promotes your blood cells to use glucose for energy whether insulin is available or not.

It is important to know how exercise and different physical activities affect your blood sugar in order to prevent your blood sugar from becoming too low, and this is where a physical therapist can really help!

If you have any questions regarding exercise and diabetes control, please contact Trio Rehabilitation at 830-331-2083!