WORLD DIABETES DAY
Diabetes is a serious chronic condition that impairs the body’s ability to process blood glucose, otherwise known as blood sugar. There are several types of diabetes, which have various treatments. We have Type I, Type II, and Type 1.5. This year’s theme focuses on empowering global health. This theme highlights the importance of awareness both individually and collectively for better prevention, diagnosis, and management of the condition.
Diabetes can affect any person at any age. The disease is known to contribute to other physical problems such as weakness, reduced endurance, obesity, and balance issues, all of which may result in
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- Retinopathy or eye disease
- Vision problems
- Blindness
- Kidney disease
- Neuropathy (nervous system disease)
- Foot and hand pain
- Inner-ear nerve damage, which causes balance problems.
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Frozen shoulder, back pain, or osteoarthriti
- Heart attack
- heart disease
Risks of acquiring Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Overweight
- Hereditary
- Not being physically active
- Having bad prediabetes
- High cholesterol or high triglyceride
How Therapy Can Help
Physiotherapy plays a major role in returning people to their normal life. Diabetes often leads to the problem of lower physical activity which can cause many other diseases. Physical problems related to diabetes include weakness, loss of endurance, obesity, and balance.
Physical activity and exercises are effective ways to lower high blood sugar levels through the help of a physiotherapist who helps in addressing pain, increasing mobility, and reducing blood glucose levels. The therapist uses a combination of active and passive exercises, and mechanical and electrical aids to promote musculoskeletal and neurological functions.
Occupational therapy interventions focus on diabetes education, addressing the quality of life, self-management, and positive improvements in lives and health status. Therapy helps to improve the following areas:
- Movement: The therapist will choose activities and treatments to help address and restore normal movement. These exercises will begin with passive movements that the therapist performs for you to gently move your joints and progress to active movements. They can help you progress to active exercises and stretches that you can do yourself.
- Strength: The therapist helps to incorporate the right exercises to help restore your strength steadily and safely.
- Flexibility: The therapists will also help to determine if any muscles are tight and help to gently stretch them through various exercises.
- Endurance: Weaknesses may occur due to inactivity, and it is important to regain strength. The therapist will help address this by incorporating various exercises.
- Balance and coordination: Coordination is also essential for daily living and work-related activities and regaining a sense of balance is important to prevent individuals from falling. With the help of a therapist, balance and coordination can be improved.
- Walking ability: If a part of the body becomes too damaged by the effects of diabetes and requires an amputation. The physical and occupational therapist helps in recovery after the surgery. Therapy helps to manage the pain and heal faster. The therapist will also help you learn how to use prosthetics, help you regain your walking (teach you how to use a walker or a cane, if needed) ability and safely get back to being active as soon as possible.
- Pain levels: Therapy treatment is one way to treat chronic pain which details different types of exercises and methods. The most effective and safe exercises will be prescribed by the therapist to perform and to help control and reduce pain.
- Blood glucose levels: Physical activities and exercise help lower blood sugar levels. The therapist helps to design a safe, personalized exercise program to help control and lower blood sugar.
- Ability to perform daily living and work activities: Your therapist will discuss activity goals with you and use them to set your recovery goals. Your treatment program will help you reach your goals in the safest, fastest, and most effective way possible.
At enability, we believe everyone deserves to live independently regardless of limitations or disabilities. Let us help you do that by reaching out to us at info@enabilityot.com