Type 2 Diabetes and Exercise: Which exercises are most effective for managing Type 2 Diabetes?

Author: Paul Matkovic (AEP), Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Chiropractor, Principal Practitioner of Back To Health Clinic in Ryde

With Type 2 Diabetes fast becoming one of the most prevalent diseases in the western world today, there has been extensive research to find out the best way of managing this disease and also preventing it from developing in the first place.

Type 2 Diabetes results when the hormone ‘Insulin’ is unable to properly store sugar in our muscles and liver, which results in sugar remaining in our bloodstream causing havoc to almost every system in our body. We all know that both a healthy diet and medication use play an important role in the management of Type 2 Diabetes, however little of us know about the role exercise can play.

Most doctors and health professionals would advise their Type 2 Diabetic patients to exercise. However from the patient feedback that I receive, most of the exercise advice is quite general, for example; ‘Walk everyday’ or ‘jog a few times a week’. This type of exercise advice doesn’t seem to take into account the patient’s needs and, with what current research states, is not effective in managing Type 2 Diabetes.

So what type of exercise is most effective in managing Type 2 Diabetes? Extensive research into this area has shown that in fact ‘resistance exercise’ is most effective in lowering blood sugar levels and improving the function of Insulin. Resistance exercise in this case applies to any exercise where an external weight is lifted, like a dumbbell or barbell.

The research goes on to say that if 7-10 resistance exercises are performed 3 times per week, persons with Type 2 Diabetes will see a dramatic decrease of up to 20% in fasting sugar levels (Dunstan et al., 2005). These results are independent of dietary change or medication use, which therefore illustrates how important the ‘correct’ type of exercise is in managing Type 2 Diabetes.

So if Type 2 Diabetes is a problem to manage for you or a loved one, you can contact myself at Back To Health Clinic in North Ryde or find your local Exercise Physiologist at www.essa.org.au  and get the right help to get yourself back to health today!

Back to Health Clinic, North Ryde

Chiropractic

Exercise Physiology