Exercising With Diabetic Neuropathy

Neuropathy can cause pain and other complications, but it doesn't have to stop your exercise program...

Neuropathy is a complication that affects many diabetics. But having neuropathy doesn't mean you have to stop exercising.

If you have neuropathy you many notice certain symptoms.One symptom of neuropathy is if you have tingling or pain in your toes or fingers, which may feel like being accidentally shocked. If it progresses you might lose your sense of pain and touch. This sometimes goes away but it can lead to total numbness in the feet. You may also have sharp knife-like pains, or pain-like sensations.

It's a natural reaction for people to stop exercising when they get neuropathy. When you hurt you stop exercising, but since it's not the exercising that's causing the pain stopping the activity won't help. Once you stop exercising you lose muscle strength and flexibility. Exercising won't reverse your neuropathy but it will keep your muscles in good working order, help improve your circulation, control your weight, and increase your body's sensitivity to insulin.

The first thing you need to do is keep or get back your flexibility. If you never stretch your arm up to the ceiling the muscles and tendons in your arm will start to shorten. When you finally try to reach up to get something from a high shelf your arm will feel stiff. That's due to lack of exercise.

To get your flexibility back you need to do range-of-motion exercises. You should do these exercises for 15 minutes a day to keep flexible and also do them as a warm-up before you do more strenuous exercise.

When you do range-of-motion exercises you slowly and gently take your wrists, elbows, shoulders, ankles, knees, hips, and trunk through their paces. You move your body part forward, back, up, down, and around as far as it can go without causing you pain. You could do shrugging with your shoulders or do windmills with your arms. If you have a loss of sensation due to neuropathy you

can overstretch and not know it so you have to learn how to do these flexibility exercises from your health-care team.

You can also do range-of-motion exercises while you're sitting or holding on to a chair. You can do full range stretching movements while holding onto an outstretched towel or cane.

Before you start any exercise program check with your doctor some blood pressure medications can impair your tolerance to exercise. You will have to learn how exercise will affect your blood sugars and how you will have to respond to the changes.

The key to a successful exercise program is to choose an activity you enjoy so you will do it on a regular basis. Also decide what your goal is: weight loss, more flexibility or conditioning.

The best type of exercise for your heart is aerobic exercise that gets your legs and arms moving, your heart pumping and your lungs working. If you've lost sensation in your feet your balance may be off and you may not notice an injury to your foot. This could lead to serious trouble. There are other exercises that are more suited to you.

Swimming is an excellent all-over workout. Swimming uses all the major muscle groups. There is less chance of injury when you're swimming than if you were running. You're not putting much stress on your knees and legs as you do when you run.

Hydro-aerobics (water-aerobics helps you build strength and improves your flexibility. You stretch and do exercises while you're in chest deep water. The water buoys you up and reduces pressure on your feet. The resistance of the water makes your muscles work more than doing them just in the air. Check local YMCA's, health clubs or senior centers to find an organized hydro-aerobics class.

Whether you do swimming or aerobics you need to take special care of your feet. The bottom of pools are rough and your feet might get cuts that you won't feel or notice. You can wear socks that are specially made for water sports (check a sporting goods store). If you have a wound that's healing don't get into a pool because it can be a source of infection.

You can try cycling which will give your legs a working without injuring your feet. Cycling also gives your heart a workout without injuring your legs. If you have a lack of sensation in your feet that won't affect your balance on a bike since you're balancing with your trunk rather than your feet. If you don't like bikes with skinny tires you may want to try mountain bikes which have wide tires.

Rowing is an exercise that's easier on your feet that jogging and you don't have to worry about balance because you're sitting down. A good rowing machine costs several hundred dollars so you might want to try to buy a used one. If you have access to a kayak or canoe try the real thing.

You can do stretching and muscle strengthening exercises from a sturdy chair.

If you have problems with your feet you don't have to stay offÔ and always inspect your feet after you exercise for blisters, cuts, or any irritations.

If you want to get an aerobic benefit from the exercise you do you have to use major muscle groups such as your thighs, calves, arms, and abdomen continuously for 30 minutes, three to four times a week. Intensity is measured by your heart rate. A good workout-rate for your heart depends on your age, sex, general fitness level, and any other health conditions you may have. Your doctor can tell you what heart rate you should aim for.

Start slowly and build up. If you're just starting an exercise program you might do ten minutes four times a week. The next week try 15 minutes and add five minutes a week until you reach your the total length of time you'd like to exercise. The important thing is to exercise consistently and don't give up.

http://www.dfandiabetes.com/diabetes/diabetes_exercising_with_diabetic_neuropathy.html

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