Understanding Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or use insulin properly. It's a serious health complication that can lead to organ damage, heart disease, kidney failure, and amputation. Insulin allows sugar to enter cells and provide energy for daily activities; when the body fails to produce or use it properly, sugar builds up in the blood, impairing circulation and damaging nerve endings.
Between 90 and 95 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes have the type 2 variety, which occurs when the body cannot metabolize insulin properly and can develop at any age. Type 2 diabetes is preventable but can worsen without intervention. Common triggers include poor diet, obesity, and lack of physical activity, and it can often be managed or even prevented by committing to a healthy lifestyle centered on weight control, proper nutrition, regular exercise, and other lifestyle changes.
How Physical Therapy Helps
On top of lifestyle changes, physical therapists can help reduce a diabetic patient's risks by designing a safe and effective exercise program. Exercise can help lower blood sugar levels, improve mobility, and reduce pain related to the condition.
Beyond movement alone, physical therapy enhances strength, flexibility, endurance, balance, and coordination for daily living and work activities. It also offers a safe way to treat chronic pain, protect painful areas from diabetic nerve pain, and prevent blisters and sores from developing.
Aerobic Training, Wound Care, and Walking Programs
A personalized physical therapy program often includes aerobic training, a walking program, and wound care therapy. Aerobic and resistance training helps manage weight and glucose levels while building muscle; a combination of resistance training and a healthy diet can even help reverse type 2 diabetes.
Wound care therapy includes manual therapies, electrical stimulation, compression therapy, and wound care techniques that improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to a wound, supporting faster healing and better circulation.
Regular walking is a basic, PT-recommended form of exercise that can lower the risk of heart disease and provide other health benefits. According to a study by Harvard Health researchers, women with diabetes who did at least four hours of moderate exercise a week, including walking, had a 40% lower risk of developing heart disease.
Managing Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetes causes the deterioration of nerves and blood vessels, resulting in numbness or weakness known as diabetic neuropathy. Physical therapists can help modify daily activities to prevent accidental injury and minimize discomfort through low-impact exercise programs.
Physical therapy can play a major role in managing and preventing the risks of type 2 diabetes. With the right exercise program and a nutritional diet, reversing diabetes is possible, seek help from a professional physical therapist to build the program that's right for you.