Last Updated on October 26, 2024
Photo by Merakist via Unsplash
There are two main types of diabetes. No offense to those with gestational, L.A.D.A or pre-diabetes!
Type I diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot generate any insulin, depriving cells in the body of the ability to take up glucose from the blood, causing wasting and eventually, starvation. Type I diabetes usually develops in childhood. The insulin-producing cells in the pancreas die and never return. Most professionals believe that the disease has genetic origins.
Type II diabetes, by contrast, is primarily a lifestyle-related disease. Here the pancreas produces insulin (often a lot of the stuff), but the body is “insulin resistant,” so can’t eliminate sugar from the blood. In other words, insulin knocks on the cell’s door, but it doesn’t open up, leading to dangerously high glucose levels. Something, usually fat and inflammation, is gumming up the works.
Physiotherapy can offer assistance to people with diabetes. Research over the twentieth century, for instance, discovered that diet and exercise play a significant role in the development of the condition. Humans evolved in a low-calorie, high-energy expenditure environment. Our bodies need regular movement and periods of low energy intake to work correctly. But in the modern world, we live sedentary lives and eat lots of high-calorie, pro-inflammatory, pro-obesity foods. And these factors are primarily why there are so many people with metabolic disorders. Type II diabetes is the quintessential “disease of modern civilization.” You just don’t see the condition in populations still subsisting on traditional diets of whole foods.
How Physiotherapy Helps With Diabetes
You might think that the solution to diabetes is eating unprocessed plant-based food as it comes out of the ground and taking plenty of exercise. And it can be. But many people who have diabetes also have issues with their muscles and joints. Muscle pain, imbalances and old injuries can all get in the way of an effective exercise program, undermining your efforts.
Interestingly, researchers believe that the roots of insulin resistance lie in muscle tissue. Muscle cells are highly metabolically active, meaning that they require large quantities of glucose to sustain them throughout the day. When they become bunged up with fat through diet and lack of exercise, insulin can no longer activate the chemical key that opens the cellular door and allows glucose in. And that’s when problems start.
The human body is around 75 to 85 percent muscle. So, any problems here have profound metabolic consequences. Muscle tissue needs to be efficient at taking up glucose to stave off type II diabetes and keep the body healthy. Therefore, a physiotherapist can construct an exercise program that helps to fight the disease and restore insulin sensitivity. They can also deal with underlying injuries and joint problems that might prevent you from using various muscle groups throughout the body. The goal is to make it so that you can safely manage your diabetes and possibly, reverse the condition by adopting a new kind of lifestyle.
Remember, in type II diabetes, the pancreas does not “die.” Often the beta cells that make insulin are churning out the stuff at a rapid clip. If you have the condition, you likely have more insulin coursing through your body than the average person. It’s just that the muscle cells can’t react to it as intensely as before, leading to “insufficiency.”
Losing Weight
Photo by Sriyoga Ashram via Unsplash
Obesity and diabetes have a strong correlation with each other. If a person is severely overweight, they are also much more likely to develop diabetes. You can have an obese person with no metabolic consequences, but it is rare. Mostly, there is a dark triad that exists between diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. If you have one, you probably have the other two.
Physiotherapists attack the roots of diabetes by addressing weight issues. Exercising under their supervision can accelerate weight loss and provide the motivation you need to continue putting effort into your regime. Losing weight is a challenge, and it usually takes persistence and continual encouragement. Only around one in twenty people who go on a weight loss program by themselves succeed. But when they do it with somebody else monitoring them and providing assistance, they are much more likely to get the outcome they want.
Exercising Safely
Photo by Bruno Nascimento via Unsplash
People with diabetes also need to be mindful of how they exercise because they can encounter problems with blood sugar levels. This applies to both type II and type I patients. Exercise causes the muscles to demand more glucose from the bloodstream. In type I diabetes, you may require more insulin to shuttle sufficient sugar into your body’s tissues. In the case of type II diabetes, you may experience dramatic falls in blood sugar levels that could make you feel light-headed.
In either case, physiotherapists can advise you on how to exercise safely and construct a program. Most of the time, the exercises you do with your physio will be gentle. However, if you decide to become serious about training, you’ll need expert supervision and a physical examination to determine the type of program that would suit you best.
Constructing A Suitable Programme
People with diabetes usually do low-impact forms of exercise, such as swimming, yoga and walking. Weight training is also an option. Physios can point you in the direction of the kind of activity that will suit you best. Usually, you need to build an exercise program around your current condition and insulin regime.
A physio can create an individualized exercise program around your particular needs. Some exercises may seem a little too strenuous at first. That’s why you need an expert who can provide the correct level of physical intensity and provide you with the emotional support you need to make the most of it.
There is no cure for type I diabetes currently. There is ample evidence, however, that type II diabetes can be improved or even reversed with lifestyle interventions in some individuals. Both groups can benefit from contacting their physiotherapist for more direction on the kinds of activity that they should do. Working with a professional can provide the impetus for improving your quality of life.
Author Bio: This article was written by Patrick Hanley of APC Physio. Patrick has worked with numerous diabetic clients with complaints like hip and knee pain.
