Diabetes

Diabetes is a group of chronic metabolic conditions characterized by elevated blood glucose (or sugar) levels, resulting from the body’s inability to produce insulin, a developed resistance to insulin action, or both. Worldwide, it is the fastest growing chronic condition and a significant community health problem.

In Australia, with 280 new diagnoses daily,  diabetes is estimated to cost $14.6 billion annually, and affects 25% of people aged 65 and over.

There are several different types of diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes. This is usually diagnosed in childhood and results from auto-immune beta-cell destruction in the pancreas, resulting in a complete lack of insulin production. Basically, the body does not produce insulin.

Type 2 Diabetes. This is the most common form and accounts for 90-95% of all diagnosed diabetes cases. It develops when there is increased resistance to the action of insulin and the body cannot produce enough insulin to overcome the resistance. The pancreas eventually reduces or may even cease production of insulin. Importantly, type 2 diabetes is classified as a modifiable disease. 

Gestational Diabetes. Occurs affects some women during pregnancy and usually goes away after the baby is born.

Other causes.  Diabetes can also result from genetic defects affecting beta-cell function or insulin action, disease of the pancreas (eg. cancer), drugs or chemical toxicity.

Understanding Diabetes

In a healthy system, sugars from the food we eat enter the blood stream via the stomach. The central nervous system, through a variety of mechanisms, detects increased glucose levels in the blood and stimulates the pancreas to release insulin to maintain blood glucose levels within a set range.  

In Type 1 Diabetes, the loss of insulin-producing beta cells results in an absolute insulin deficiency. People with Type 1 diabetes use insulin injections to maintain sufficient levels of insulin in their system, which in turn helps control blood glucose levels.

In Type 2 Diabetes, the body has developed resistance to insulin. Initially the pancreas responds to sustained high blood glucose levels by increasing insulin production. Over time though, the mechanisms that stimulate the pancreas to release insulin become resistant to the chronically elevated blood glucose levels.  As a result, insulin production diminishes, resulting in elevated levels of blood glucose.

Left untreated, diabetes results in a range of other diseases, severe organ damage and reduced life expectancy by 10-20 years.

Lifestyle changes, improved diet and increased exercise are essential in successful control of diabetes.

Risk Factors for Diabetes

Diabetes has what we refer to as modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors. Nonmodifiables are things we can’t change, like our age and family history. Modifiables can be changed, things like diet and inactivity, and this is where assistance from health professionals is critical. Click here to see the different risk factors for diabetes.

How does exercise help

The benefits of exercise in the prevention and management of diabetes are well recognised. When we exercise, our muscles burn glucose and body fat to produce energy and movement, thereby reducing blood glucose levels and, over time, reducing body weight. Exercise improves cardiovascular fitness, which in turn can assist in lowering blood pressure and improve blood flow to the periphery - namely our feet and hands. Then you have all the added benefits of exercise, like improved mood, cognitive function, joint health, and body strength. Hard to argue with that.

Why Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapists bring a wholistic approach to managing diabetes and are skilled in treating co-morbid presentations (for) example, diabetes in the presence of osteoarthritis).

Some of the key roles Physiotherapists play include:

Providing guidance on physical activity participation for patients who have or are at risk for diabetes. Physiotherapists commonly prescribe physical activity for the treatment of diabetes and other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis. As primary care practitioners, they are well placed in the community to provide advice in this area. With a deep understanding of the causes of diabetes, the body’s responses and risk factors for other disease and illness, physiotherapists can provide individualised, varied, and engaging programs to help pretty much anyone, with programs monitored and modified to meet individual goals and objectives.

Regularly screening patients for risk factors for diabetes and diabetes-related complications. Physiotherapists can provide treatment and education in self-management strategies, prescribe safe and rewarding physical activity, and monitor and treat related illnesses and disease.

Chest pain, stroke, reduced circulation in the limbs and sensory changes are all serious medical conditions that can result from diabetes.

Physiotherapists are skilled at monitoring foot care and peripheral circulation, identifying other organ disease symptoms and signs, and working with a multi-disciplinary team to minimise complications and improve your quality of life.

Advocating for regular physical activity as a key component of treatment of chronic diseases in all patient interactions. Physiotherapists know the benefits of exercise, not just for diabetes, but for a whole range of conditions. By modifying, adapting, and progressing exercise through the life span, physiotherapists can reduce the risk of diabetes and other organ disease, reduce falls risk, reduce the incidence of fractures in our elderly, keep people active in sports and recreational activities for longer periods, and have a real impact on both physical and mental health. 

Ready to tackle Diabetes head on?

DON’T WAIT. The longer you put it off, the greater the challenge will be to get your fitness back.

At Movement for Life Physiotherapy, we can screen you for health issues related to diabetes. We will run you through a series of progressive exercise tests to find out what you can do, and tailor your diabetes management plan to exactly what you need.  And we have options for you - from home exercise programs, to hydrotherapy, group exercise, even gym programs. 

Give us a call now or click on BOOK AN APPOINTMENT to book online.

Resources

1. Harris-Hayes M, Schootman M, Schootman J and Hastings M (2020) The Role of Physical Therapists in Fighting the Type 2 Diabetes Epidemic. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 50(1), 5-16.
2. Jahangir M (2019). Epidemiology of Diabetes. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-816864-6.00003-1
3. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Diabetes
4. https://choose.physio/your-condition/diabetes