Where to Start? Physical Assessment, Readiness, and Exercise Recommendations for People With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Exercise plays an important role in the management of diabetes and is associated with many benefits such as decreased morbidity and mortality. For people exhibiting signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease, pre-exercise medical clearance is warranted; however, requiring broad screening requirements can lead to unnecessary barriers to initiating an exercise program. Robust evidence supports the promotion of both aerobic and resistance training, with evidence emerging on the importance of reducing sedentary time. For people with type 1 diabetes, there are special considerations, including hypoglycemia risk and prevention, exercise timing (including prandial status), and differences in glycemic responses based on biological sex.

Exercise/Physical Activity in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Consensus Statement from the American College of Sports Medicine.

ABSTRACT: This consensus statement is an update of the 2010 American College of Sports Medicine position stand on exercise and type 2 diabetes. Since then, a substantial amount of research on select topics in exercise in individuals of various ages with type 2 diabetes has been published while diabetes prevalence has continued to expand worldwide. This consensus statement provides a brief summary of the current evidence and extends and updates the prior recommendations. The document has been expanded to include physical activity, a broader, more comprehensive definition of human movement than planned exercise, and reducing sedentary time. Various types of physical activity enhance health and glycemic management in people with type 2 diabetes, including flexibility and balance exercise, and the importance of each recommended type or mode are discussed. In general, the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans apply to all individuals with type 2 diabetes, with a few exceptions and modifications. People with type 2 diabetes should engage in physical activity regularly and be encouraged to reduce sedentary time and break up sitting time with frequent activity breaks. Any activities undertaken with acute and chronic health complications related to diabetes may require accommodations to ensure safe and effective participation. Other topics addressed are exercise timing to maximize its glucose-lowering effects and barriers to and inequities in physical activity adoption and maintenance.

Physical Activity, Dietary Patterns, and Glycemic Management in Active Individuals with Type 1 Diabetes: An Online Survey.

Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are able to balance their blood glucose levels while engaging in a wide variety of physical activities and sports. However, insulin use forces them to contend with many daily training and performance challenges involved with fine-tuning medication dosing, physical activity levels, and dietary patterns to optimize their participation and performance. The aim of this study was to ascertain which variables related to the diabetes management of physically active individuals with T1D have the greatest impact on overall blood glucose levels (reported as A1C) in a real-world setting. A total of 220 individuals with T1D completed an online survey to self-report information about their glycemic management, physical activity patterns, carbohydrate and dietary intake, use of diabetes technologies, and other variables that impact diabetes management and health. In analyzing many variables affecting glycemic management, the primary significant finding was that A1C values in lower, recommended ranges (<7%) were significantly predicted by a very-low carbohydrate intake dietary pattern, whereas the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices had the greatest predictive ability when A1C was above recommended (≥7%). Various aspects of physical activity participation (including type, weekly time, frequency, and intensity) were not significantly associated with A1C for participants in this survey. In conclusion, when individuals with T1D are already physically active, dietary changes and more frequent monitoring of glucose may be most capable of further enhancing glycemic management.

Nutrition and Exercise Performance in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes.

The best nutritional practices for exercise and sports performance are largely activity specific. The presence of type 1 diabetes undeniably bestows additional factors to consider to manage exercise and ensure adequate nutrients and fuels are available for optimal performance. Whether participating in sports or physical activity on a recreational basis or striving to achieve a high level of athletic performance, individuals with type 1 diabetes must pay attention to their nutritional and dietary patterns, including intake of macronutrients, micronutrients, fluids and supplements, such as caffeine to maintain metabolic and glycemic balance. Performance aside, nutritional recommendations may also differ on an individual basis relative to exercise, glycemic management and body weight goals. Balancing all these dietary factors can be challenging for individuals with type 1 diabetes, and many related aspects have yet to be fully researched in this population.

The competitive athlete with type 1 diabetes.

Regular exercise is important for health, fitness and longevity in people living with type 1 diabetes, and many individuals seek to train and compete while living with the condition. Muscle, liver and glycogen metabolism can be normal in athletes with diabetes with good overall glucose management, and exercise performance can be facilitated by modifications to insulin dose and nutrition. However, maintaining normal glucose levels during training, travel and competition can be a major challenge for athletes living with type 1 diabetes. Some athletes have low-to-moderate levels of carbohydrate intake during training and rest days but tend to benefit, from both a glucose and performance perspective, from high rates of carbohydrate feeding during long-distance events. This review highlights the unique metabolic responses to various types of exercise in athletes living with type 1 diabetes. Graphical abstract.

Development and Validation of the Norfolk Quality of Life Fatigue Tool (QOL-F): A New Measure of Perception of Fatigue.

OBJECTIVES: To design a questionnaire to evaluate and distinguish between cognitive and physical aspects of fatigue in different age groups of "nondiseased" people and guide appropriate prevention and interventions for the impact of frailty occurring in normative aging. STUDY DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: The Norfolk QOL-Fatigue (QOL-F) with items of cognitive and physical fatigue, anxiety, and depression from validated questionnaires including items from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measure Information System (PROMIS) databank was developed. The preliminary QOL-F was administered to 409 healthy multiethnic local participants (30-80 years old) in 5 age groups. METHODS: The authors distilled the item pool using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA identified 5 latent groups as possible factors related to problems due to fatigue, subjective fatigue, reduced activities, impaired activities of daily living (ADL), and depression. RESULTS: CFA demonstrated good overall fit [χ2(172) = 1094.23, P < .001; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.978; root mean square error of approximation = 0.049] with factor loadings >0.617 and strong interfactor correlations (0.69-0.83), suggesting that fatigue in each domain is closely related to other domains and to the overall scale except for ADL. The 5-factor solution displayed good internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.78-0.94). Total and domain scores were fairly equivalent in all age groups except for the 40 to 49-year-old group with better overall scores. In addition, 70 to 79-year-olds had better ADL scores. In item response analysis, factor scores in different age groups were similar, so age may not be a significant driver of fatigue scores. Fatigue scores were significantly higher in females than in males (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The developed Norfolk QOL-F tool demonstrated fatigue as a perceived cognitive phenomenon rather than an objective physical measure, suggesting mandatory inclusion of cognitive as well as physical measures in the evaluation of people as they age. QOL-F is able to distinguish QOL-F domain scores unique to different age groups, proposing clinical benefits from physical, balance, and cognitive interventions tailored to impact frailty occurring in normative aging.

Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy in Diabetes: A Predictor of Cardiometabolic Events.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) imbalance manifesting as cardiac autonomic neuropathy in the diabetic population is an important predictor of cardiovascular events. Symptoms and signs of ANS dysfunction, such as resting heart rate elevations, diminished blood pressure responses to standing, and altered time and frequency domain measures of heart rate variability in response to deep breathing, standing, and the Valsalva maneuver, should be elicited from all patients with diabetes and prediabetes. With the recognition of the presence of ANS imbalance or for its prevention, a rigorous regime should be implemented with lifestyle modification, physical activity, and cautious use of medications that lower blood glucose. Rather than intensifying diabetes control, a regimen tailored to the individual risk of autonomic imbalance should be implemented. New agents that may improve autonomic function, such as SGLT2 inhibitors, should be considered and the use of incretins monitored. One of the central mechanisms of dysfunction is disturbance of the hypothalamic cardiac clock, a consequence of dopamine deficiency that leads to sympathetic dominance, insulin resistance, and features of the metabolic syndrome. An improvement in ANS balance may be critical to reducing cardiovascular events, cardiac failure, and early mortality in the diabetic population.

Supervised Balance Training and Wii Fit-Based Exercises Lower Falls Risk in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the benefits of and differences between 12 weeks of thrice-weekly supervised balance training and an unsupervised at-home balance activity (using the Nintendo Wii Fit) for improving balance and reaction time and lowering falls risk in older individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). DESIGN: Before-after trial. SETTING: University research laboratory, home environment. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-five older adults with type 2 diabetes were recruited for this study. Participants were randomly allocated to either supervised balance training (mean age 67.8 ± 5.2) or unsupervised training using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board (mean age 66.1 ± 5.6). INTERVENTION: The training period for both groups lasted for 12 weeks. Individuals were required to complete three 40-minute sessions per week for a total of 36 sessions. MEASUREMENT: The primary outcome measure was falls risk, which was as derived from the physiological profile assessment. In addition, measures of simple reaction time, lower limb proprioception, postural sway, knee flexion, and knee extension strength were also collected. Persons also self-reported any falls in the previous 6 months. RESULTS: Both training programs resulted in a significant lowering of falls risk (P < .05). The reduced risk was attributable to significant changes in reaction times for the hand (P < .05), foot (P < .01), lower-limb proprioception (P < .01), and postural sway (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, training led to a decrease in falls risk, which was driven by improvements in reaction times, lower limb proprioception, and general balance ability. Interestingly, the reduced falls risk occurred without significant changes in leg strength, suggesting that interventions to reduce falls risk that target intrinsic risk factors related to balance control (over muscle strength) may have positive benefits for the older adult with T2DM at risk for falls.

A Comparison of Screening Tools for the Early Detection of Peripheral Neuropathy in Adults with and without Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Examine the effectiveness of the 128 Hz tuning fork, two monofilaments, and Norfolk Quality of Life Diabetic Neuropathy (QOL-DN) questionnaire as tools for the early detection of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in overweight, obese, and inactive (OOI) adults or those who have prediabetes (PD) or type 2 diabetes (T2D). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-four adults (mean age 58.4 years ± 12.1) were divided by glycemia (10 OOI normoglycemic, 13 PD, and 11 T2D). Sural nerves were tested bilaterally with the NC-stat DPNCheck to determine sural nerve amplitude potential (SNAP) and sural nerve conduction velocity (SNCV). All other testing results were compared to SNAP and SNCV. RESULTS: Total 1 g monofilament scores significantly correlated with SNAP values and yielded the highest sensitivity and specificity combinations of tested measures. Total QOL-DN scores negatively correlated with SNAP values, as did QOL-DN symptoms. QOL-DN activities of daily living correlated with the right SNAP, and the QOL-DN small fiber subscore correlated with SNCV. CONCLUSIONS: The 1 g monofilament and total QOL-DN are effective, low-cost tools for the early detection of DPN in OOI, PD, and T2D adults. The 128 Hz tuning fork and 10 g monofilament may assist DPN screening as a tandem, but not primary, early DPN detection screening tools.

The impact of speed and time on gait dynamics.

To determine the effects of speed on gait previous studies have examined young adults walking at different speeds; however, the small number of strides may have influenced the results. The aim of this study was to investigate the immediate and long-term impact of continuous slow walking on the mean, variability and structure of stride-to-stride measures. Fourteen young adults walked at a constant pace on a treadmill at three speeds (preferred walking speed (PWS), 90% and 80% PWS) for 30 min each. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were computed over six successive 5-min intervals. Walking slower significantly decreased stride length, while stride period and width increased. Additionally, stride period and width variability increased. Signal regularity of stride width increased and decreased in stride period. Persistence of stride period and width increased significantly at slower speeds. While several measures changed during 30min of walking, only stride period variability and signal regularity revealed a significant speed and time interaction. Healthy young adults walking at slower than preferred speeds demonstrated greater persistence and signal regularity of stride period while spatiotemporal changes such as increased stride width and period variability arose. These results suggest that different control processes are involved in adapting to the slower speeds.

Update on Management of Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes in Athletes.

Optimal blood glucose management still remains the biggest challenge in active individuals with diabetes, particularly in insulin users, but some newer strategies have been introduced to maintain blood glucose control. Recent studies emphasize the importance of exercise intensity on glycemic balance. In individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, both resistance and high-intensity intermittent exercise have been shown to confer beneficial physiological adaptations in training studies, while also showing acute glycemic benefits from single sessions. At the same time, anyone training at higher intensities also should take into consideration potential impairments in thermoregulation in individuals with diabetes, which can increase the risk of heat stress during exercise in hot and/or humid conditions. Recent studies of medication effects on electrolyte balance and hydration give a more complete picture of potential exercise risks for athletes with diabetes. Use of the latest diabetes-related technologies also may benefit the athlete with diabetes.

Walking-Induced Fatigue Leads to Increased Falls Risk in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: For older adults, falls are a serious health problem, with more than 30% of people older than 65 suffering a fall at least once a year. One element often overlooked in the assessment of falls is whether a person's balance, walking ability, and overall falls risk is affected by performing activities of daily living such as walking. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the immediate impact of incline walking at a moderate pace on falls risk, leg strength, reaction time, gait, and balance in 75 healthy adults from 30 to 79 years of age. Subjects were subdivided into 5 equal groups based on their age (group 1, 30-39 years; group 2, 40-49 years; group 3, 50-59 years; group 4, 60-69 years; group 5, 70-79 years). METHODS: Each person's falls risk (using the Physiological Profile Assessment), simple reaction time, leg strength, walking ability, and standing balance were assessed before and after a period of incline walking on an automated treadmill. The walking task consisted of three 5-minute trials at a faster than preferred pace. Fatigue during walking was elicited by increasing the treadmill incline in increments of 2° (from level) every minute to a maximum of 8°. RESULTS: As predicted, significant age-related differences were observed before the walking activity. In general, increasing age was associated with declines in gait speed, lower limb strength, slower reaction times, and increases in overall falls risk. Following the treadmill task, older adults exhibited increased sway (path length 60-69 years; 10.2 ± 0.7 to 12.1 ± 0.7 cm: 70-79 years; 12.8 ± 1.1 to 15.1 ± 0.8 cm), slower reaction times (70-79 years; 256 ± 6 to 287 ± 8 ms), and declines in lower limb strength (60-69 years; 36 ± 2 to 31 ± 1 kg: 70-79 years; 32.3 ± 2 to 27 ± 1 kg). However, a significant increase in overall falls risk (pre; 0.51 ± 0.17: post; 1.01 ± 0.18) was only seen in the oldest group (70-79 years). For all other persons (30-69 years), changes resulting from the treadmill-walking task did not lead to a significant increase in falls risk. CONCLUSIONS: As most falls occur when an individual is moving and/or fatigued, assessing functional properties related to balance, gait, strength, and falls risk in older adults both at rest and following activity may provide additional insight.

Moving beyond cardio: the value of resistance training, balance training, and other forms of exercise in the management of diabetes.

IN BRIEF Traditionally, aerobic training has been a central focus of exercise promotion for diabetes management. However, people with diabetes have much to gain from other forms of exercise. This article reviews the evidence and recommendations on resistance, balance, and flexibility training, as well as other, less traditional, forms of exercise such as yoga and Tai Chi.

Physical activity and type 1 diabetes: time for a rewire?

While being physically active bestows many health benefits on individuals with type 1 diabetes, their overall blood glucose control is not enhanced without an effective balance of insulin dosing and food intake to maintain euglycemia before, during, and after exercise of all types. At present, a number of technological advances are already available to insulin users who desire to be physically active with optimal blood glucose control, although a number of limitations to those devices remain. In addition to continued improvements to existing technologies and introduction of new ones, finding ways to integrate all of the available data to optimize blood glucose control and performance during and following exercise will likely involve development of "smart" calculators, enhanced closed-loop systems that are able to use additional inputs and learn, and social aspects that allow devices to meet the needs of the users.