Diabetes Mellitus Rehabilitation Programme
Diabetes Mellitus is a condition in which an individual’s blood glucose level is abnormally elevated as a result of defects in insulin secretion and/or inability to use insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate the metabolisation of glucose. There are two most common forms of diabetes:
Who can join this programme?
Patients that are at prediabetes state or already diagnosed as diabetic.
Patients who are overweight can join our weight management program, as it is a common factor that leads to diabetes.
Together with our team, regular exercise will help you reach a good blood sugar control, gain the ability to exercise safely and equip the knowledge of the disease management.
How can our physiotherapists help you?
Exercise helps your insulin to get more blood sugar into your cells. It helps your body store up sugar in your muscle and liver, which is important when you need them in an emergency. It helps prevent developing other health problems. Regular exercise participation also delays the transition from prediabetes to diabetes. It also helps you reduce and maintain body weight healthily.
There are additional long-term complications such as retinopathy, autonomic and peripheral neuropathy, thus exercise for diabetic patients must be done with great care. Vigorous exercise may exacerbate retinal detachment. Peripheral neuropathy results in decreased pain sensation and can contribute to foot ulceration. Autonomic neuropathy can decrease cardiac responsiveness and thermoregulation. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, which can lead to unconsciousness) is a serious problem for individuals with diabetes during exercise. Therefore an individualised exercise program by our physiotherapist is beneficial. We will monitor and educate you how to manage these conditions and yet enjoy the benefits from exercise.
Type I
A condition in which there is an absolute insulin deficiency and a high tendency for ketoacidosis. It is usually caused by autoimmune destruction or idiopathic in origin.
Type II
A condition in which there is an insulin secretory defect as well as the presence of insulin-resistant skeletal muscle, adipose tissue and liver. A common feature is excess body fat that mainly distributed in the upper body.
Diabetes can affect many major organs in your body. These medical problems include:
A referral from your physician is required to participate in this programme.
Who can join this programme?
Patients that are at prediabetes state or already diagnosed as diabetic.
| Prediabetes | Diabetes Mellitus | |
| Symptomatic with casual glucose ≥ 11 mmol/L or | ||
| HbA1c > 6.5% | ||
| Fasting plasma glucose (at least 8 hours) | 5.5 – 7 mmol/L | ≥7 mmol/L |
| 2-h oral glucose tolerance test | 7.7 – 11 mmol/L | ≥11 |
Patients who are overweight can join our weight management program, as it is a common factor that leads to diabetes.
- Individuals with BMI ≥25 kg/m2
- Waist girth > 102 cm (men)
- Waist girth > 88 cm (women)
Together with our team, regular exercise will help you reach a good blood sugar control, gain the ability to exercise safely and equip the knowledge of the disease management.
How can our physiotherapists help you?
Exercise helps your insulin to get more blood sugar into your cells. It helps your body store up sugar in your muscle and liver, which is important when you need them in an emergency. It helps prevent developing other health problems. Regular exercise participation also delays the transition from prediabetes to diabetes. It also helps you reduce and maintain body weight healthily.
There are additional long-term complications such as retinopathy, autonomic and peripheral neuropathy, thus exercise for diabetic patients must be done with great care. Vigorous exercise may exacerbate retinal detachment. Peripheral neuropathy results in decreased pain sensation and can contribute to foot ulceration. Autonomic neuropathy can decrease cardiac responsiveness and thermoregulation. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, which can lead to unconsciousness) is a serious problem for individuals with diabetes during exercise. Therefore an individualised exercise program by our physiotherapist is beneficial. We will monitor and educate you how to manage these conditions and yet enjoy the benefits from exercise.
Type I
A condition in which there is an absolute insulin deficiency and a high tendency for ketoacidosis. It is usually caused by autoimmune destruction or idiopathic in origin.
Type II
A condition in which there is an insulin secretory defect as well as the presence of insulin-resistant skeletal muscle, adipose tissue and liver. A common feature is excess body fat that mainly distributed in the upper body.
Diabetes can affect many major organs in your body. These medical problems include:
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- Renal disease
- Blindness
- Nerve disease
- Limb amputation
A referral from your physician is required to participate in this programme.