Aerobic exercise is often recommended for people with diabetes because of its ability to control blood sugar.
There are several types of aerobic exercise, including walking, jogging, and hiking.
Aerobic exercise is a daily staple for people with diabetes.
It”s important to choose an activity that suits your personality and condition and, most importantly, that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.
Some of the most common aerobic exercises recommended for people with diabetes are as follows.
Walking
“If you have diabetes, walk at least 30 minutes every day,” they say.
Walking is a highly recommended exercise for people with diabetes.
It”s easy for anyone to do, doesn”t require any special equipment or skills, and can be done at any time of the day or night, near home or work.
Correct walking posture
keep your back muscles straight, neck upright, chin slightly tucked in and look 10-15 metres in front of you.
Lower your shoulders and arms naturally, keeping your lower back and hips out of the way.
walk in the same way as in steps 1 and 2, but lightly, with the heels of your feet touching the ground first, followed by the entire ball of your foot, then the forefoot.
Swing your arms back and forth naturally in time with your stride, and walk at a moderate pace while breathing well.
Jogging
Jogging is an easy exercise that you can do anywhere, with no difficult movements and no time or financial investment.
It”s a great workout, and the repetition of light running movements helps to break down and burn fat in the body, including visceral fat in the abdomen.
It also helps to strengthen the cardiorespiratory system by stimulating the cardiovascular system and the functioning of the heart.
It”s also a great way to lower your blood sugar by helping you metabolise glucose.
To jog, you should run steadily on a flat surface at a pace that”s about twice as fast as your usual walking pace.
Soft soil is better for your joints than tarmac or cement.
Wear specialised jogging shoes to reduce the strain on your feet, and make sure that your feet touch the ground in the following order: heel, midfoot, forefoot, and toes.
Precautions for jogging
Jogging is physically demanding because the cardiopulmonary system, muscles, and joints are constantly working during exercise, and the impact of the weight load on the leg muscles, especially the knee and ankle joints, is high.
Therefore, people with weak cardiopulmonary systems, low physical strength, autonomic nervous system disorders with poor balance, diabetic feet, and the elderly may suffer from falls, blood pressure, and other injuries if they overdo it.
Pregnant women are also at risk due to uterine contractions.
Cycling
Bicycling is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world, as you sit on a saddle and carry your weight.
It”s also a safe way to exercise for people with diabetic feet, who may not be able to carry a lot of weight.
In addition to diabetic feet, cycling is also a good alternative for other patients who have difficulty with weight-bearing exercises, such as those with obesity, weak joints due to menopause, a bad back, or osteoporosis.
If cycling outdoors is not an option for you, you can also do it indoors on a stationary bike.
Cycling precautions
Cycling is essentially “driving an outdoor ride,” so there is a risk of accident or injury.
Therefore, you should always pay attention to safety and protect yourself with protective equipment.
The size of your bike is also important to prevent accidents.
If the bike is too big and the seat is too high, you’ll have a hard time manoeuvring it, which can lead to falls and other injuries.
Conversely, if the seat is too low, you”ll have to work harder.
A good rule of thumb is that your knees should bend about 15 degrees when you sit on the saddle and put your feet on the ground.
Mountain climbing
Hiking is a great stress reliever and has a very positive effect on mental health.
It”s also a great way to combat obesity because it”s very energetic, with a typical one-hour hike burning around 400 calories (for a 50kg adult), depending on the mountain.
However, because of the high physical demands and the risk of injury or distress, it should be avoided by the elderly, people with autonomic neuropathy, people with joint problems, and people with severe diabetes.
In addition, people with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension should avoid climbing mountains that are too high, or climbing in winter, as the difference in air pressure and temperature can cause blood pressure to rise.
Tips for safe mountain climbing
If you have diabetes, it”s best to choose a mountain that”s not too strenuous for you and that has well-paved trails.
They should also bring snacks high in sugar and calories, such as candy, chocolate, and juice, to avoid hypoglycaemia or hypothermia.
If you feel tired in the mountains, make sure you find a comfortable place to sit and take a break with a snack.
You should also take precautions such as climbing with a group of people, preferably in case of an emergency.
As for clothing, you should wear specialised clothing that wicks away sweat to prevent you from losing body heat, and be sure to wear hiking boots to avoid slipping on the mountain.
In the case of diabetic feet, any wounds on the feet while climbing can lead to ulcers, so make sure that your boots are loose enough to fit one or two fingers to improve circulation.
In between breaks, massage your feet to improve circulation and check for any cuts you may have made while climbing.
Swimming
Swimming has the advantage of being a non-weight-bearing exercise, thanks to the buoyancy of the water.
Women, the elderly, obese people, and pregnant women who have weak joints, especially during menopause, need to be extra careful when exercising. Swimming is a great option for these people because it”s easy on the joints.
It”s also a sport that doesn”t require you to worry about injuries such as falls.
Therefore, it”s a great option for the elderly, who are always on the lookout for falls, or for people with diabetic autonomic neuropathy, who have difficulty balancing while standing.
Precautions for swimming
As with hiking, swimming can cause a new and unexpected drop in blood sugar, which can lead to hypoglycaemia.
When swimming, you should prepare a small snack in case of hypoglycaemia, and take breaks between laps to check your condition.
You should also be careful about infections, as water comes into contact with bare skin and mucous membranes such as the eyes and mouth.
It is recommended that you use a swimming pool where the floor and water are kept clean and hygienic, and that you bring your own towel.
Aerobic dancing, aquarobics
Aerobics can be done to music and can be fun for those who get bored easily and don”t usually like to exercise.
It”s easy to do for people of all ages, and you can adjust the difficulty and intensity of the exercises, from low-impact to high-intensity, where the movements are very difficult and require a lot of energy.
There”s a wide variety of programmes, with different music, tools, objectives and ages, so you can adapt them to your own tastes and goals, and you can keep trying new exercises without losing interest.
Aquarobics is recommended as an alternative to aerobics for people with dysautonomia who have difficulty balancing, as well as for the elderly and pregnant women who need to be careful about injuries.
Thanks to the buoyancy of the water, you”ll be carrying less weight, reducing the impact on your feet and joints, and you won”t have to worry about falling and injuring yourself.
Preparation before aerobics
In order to avoid ankle injuries, we recommend using special shoes with good shock absorption and that cover the peach bone area.