Exercise is very important for diabetics to stay healthy, but there are a few things to watch out for.
You should avoid some kinds of physical activities if you have certain diabetic complications. Exercise involving heavy weights may be bad for people with blood pressure, blood vessel, or eye problems. Diabetes-related nerve damage can make it hard to tell if you’ve injured your feet during exercise, which can lead to more serious problems. If you do have diabetic complications, your health care provider can tell you which kinds of physical activities would be best for you. Fortunately, there are many different ways to get exercise.
Physical activity can lower your blood glucose too much, causing hypoglycemia (low blood glucose), especially in people who take insulin or certain oral medications. Hypoglycemia can happen at the time you’re exercising, just afterward, or even up to a day later. You can get shaky, weak, confused, irritable, anxious, hungry, tired, or sweaty. You can get a headache, or even lose consciousness.
To help prevent hypoglycemia during physical activity, check your blood glucose before you exercise. If it’s below 5.6mmol/L, have a small snack. In addition, bring food or glucose tablets with you when you exercise just in case. It is not good for people with diabetes to skip meals at all, but especially not prior to exercise.
After you exercise, check to see how it has affected your blood glucose level. If you take insulin, ask your health care provider if there is a preferable time of day for you to exercise, or whether you should change your dosage before physical activity, before beginning an exercise regimen.
When you exercise, wear cotton socks and athletic shoes that fit well and are comfortable. After you exercise, check your feet for sores, blisters, irritation, cuts, or other injuries.
Drink plenty of fluids during physical activity, since your blood glucose can be affected by dehydration.