How can diabetic patients exercise properly?

How do diabetic patients exercise “reasonably”?

Endocrinologists often tell diabetic patients to "exercise reasonably". As patients, they are often confused. How to "exercise reasonably"? Diabetic patients should follow the following principles when exercising:

(1) Exercise therapy should be conducted under the guidance of relevant professionals. Conducting necessary health assessments and exercise capacity evaluations before exercise will help ensure the safety and scientific nature of exercise therapy. In other words, you should choose an exercise method that suits you.

(2) Adult diabetic patients should perform at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week (e.g., 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week) of moderate intensity (50%-70% of maximum heart rate, somewhat strenuous during exercise, with faster heartbeat and breathing but not rapid)

(3) Moderate-intensity sports include brisk walking, Tai Chi, cycling, table tennis, badminton, and golf, etc. Higher-intensity sports include fast-paced dancing, aerobics, swimming, uphill cycling, football, basketball, etc.

(4) If there are no contraindications, it is best to perform resistance exercise 2-3 times a week (with an interval of ≥ 48 h between two exercises) to exercise muscle strength and endurance.

(5) The exercise program should be tailored to the patient’s age, condition, preferences, and physical tolerance.

The patient should be adapted to the exercise plan and regularly evaluated to adjust the exercise plan. Blood sugar monitoring should be strengthened before and after exercise. When exercising heavily or intensely, the patient should be advised to temporarily adjust the diet and drug treatment plan to avoid hypoglycemia.

Moisture.

(6) Develop healthy living habits. Cultivate an active lifestyle, such as increasing daily physical activity, breaking up sedentary behavior, and reducing sedentary time.

(7) Exercise is contraindicated in cases of severe hypoglycemia, acute metabolic complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis, combined acute infection, proliferative retinopathy, severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (unstable angina, severe arrhythmias, transient ischemic attacks), etc. Exercise can be gradually resumed only after the condition is under control and stabilized.

(Refer to "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in China").