Exercise Diabetes

Article Sections Introduction Tips Exercise Programme

Contributed by Singapore General Hospital


Introduction              

These exercises aim to keep you fit and your body weight down. They are not meant to be substitute for medical and physiotherapy attention. Before you start, you must consult your physiotherapist to understand your specific needs.

Tips on Exercise

• Check your blood sugar before and after your exercise. If your blood sugar is over 15 mmol/L, do not exercise.
  
• Have some light snack before exercise if your blood sugar is low.
  
• Have some sweets around when you exercise. When your blood sugar becomes low during exercise, you need sugar to give you instant energy.
  
• Loose and comfortable sports wear and well-fitting jogging shoes are important.
  
• Warm up before and cool down appropriately with the stretching exercises above.
  
• To gain maximum benefits from exercise, you must participate in an aerobic-type of program.

Exercise Programme

• Type of Exercise
  
  • Walking, jogging, running, cycling or swimming?
    
    
    • Swimming is generally not advocated because it can become dangerous when you turn hypoglycaemic (or low in blood sugar).
      
    • What about walking, jogging, running or cycling? Well, it depends on you! To reap the benefits of exercise, you must be consistent with your exercise program. Therefore, the type of exercise you choose must be something you enjoy doing.
      
    • Walking, jogging and running involve in your knee joints. If you have a knee problem, you may wish to avoid these exercises. In this case, cycling may be better for you.
      
    • See Choosing an appropriate exercise equipment if you are planning to get a treadmill or stationary bicycle for your exercise program.
      
      
• Intensity
  
  
  • The exercise you have chosen must increase your heart rate to about 60-90% of your maximum heart rate.
    
  • Your maximum heart rate can be estimated from the formula (220 – your age). So, if you are 45 years old, your estimated maximum heart rate would be 175 beats per minute. 60-90% of this heart rate would be 105-158 beats per minute. Hence your exercise must be able to cause your heart rate to beat at these rates.

• Frequency

• Preferably 3 to 5 times a week

• Time

• Initially, your exercise session should be about 10 minutes or as much as you can tolerate.
  
• Increase the duration of the session to about 20-60 minutes.