Exercise has many benefits, but the biggest one, especially for diabetics, is that it makes it easier to control your blood glucose (blood sugar) level. Exercise can also help people with type 2 diabetes avoid long-term complications, especially heart problems. People with diabetes are susceptible to developing blocked arteries (arteriosclerosis), which can lead to a heart attack. Regular exercise helps keep your heart healthy and strong, and maintain good cholesterol in the body.Diabetics have too much glucose in their blood, either because their body doesn’t produce enough insulin to process it, or because their body doesn’t use insulin properly. This also leads to the onset of various other ailments. It is observed that 50 percent of people with diabetes suffer from a frozen shoulder, which is a shoulder joint with significant loss of its range of motion in all directions. Women are more likely to develop frozen shoulder than men and it occurs most frequently in those above the age of 35 years.
Exercise for Frozen Shoulder
If you are diabetic and suffering from frozen shoulder, here are a few exercises that can help you. Always warm up your shoulder before performing these exercises. The best way to do that is to take a warm shower or bath for 10 to 15 minutes.1. Pendulum stretch: Relax your shoulders. Stand and lean over slightly, allowing the affected arm to hang down. Swing the arm in a small circle about a foot in diameter.2. Towel stretch: Hold one end of a three-foot-long towel behind your back and grab the opposite end with your other hand. Hold the towel in a horizontal position. Use your good arm to pull the affected arm upward to stretch it.3. Finger walk: Face a wall three-quarters of an arm’s length away. Reach out and touch the wall at waist level with the fingertips of the affected arm. With your elbow slightly bent, slowly walk your fingers up the wall, spider-like, until you’ve raised your arm as far as you comfortably can. Your fingers should be doing the work, not your shoulder muscles.4. Cross body reach: Sit or stand. Use your good arm to lift your affected arm at the elbow, and bring it up and across your body, exerting gentle pressure to stretch the shoulder. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds.5. Armpit stretch: Using your good arm, lift the affected arm onto a shelf about breast-high. Gently bend your knees, opening up the armpit. Deepen your knee bend slightly, gently stretching the armpit, and then straighten. With each knee bend, stretch a little further, but don’t force it.6. Outward rotation: Hold a rubber exercise band between your hands with your elbows at a 90-degree angle close to your sides. Rotate the lower part of the affected arm outward two or three inches and hold for five seconds.7. Inward rotation: stand next to a closed door, and hook one end of a rubber exercise band around the doorknob. Hold the other end with the hand of the affected arm, holding your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Pull the band toward your body two or three inches and hold for five seconds.Disclaimer:The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
If you are diabetic and suffering from frozen shoulder, here are a few exercises that can help you. Always warm up your shoulder before performing these exercises. The best way to do that is to take a warm shower or bath for 10 to 15 minutes.1. Pendulum stretch: Relax your shoulders. Stand and lean over slightly, allowing the affected arm to hang down. Swing the arm in a small circle about a foot in diameter.2. Towel stretch: Hold one end of a three-foot-long towel behind your back and grab the opposite end with your other hand. Hold the towel in a horizontal position. Use your good arm to pull the affected arm upward to stretch it.3. Finger walk: Face a wall three-quarters of an arm’s length away. Reach out and touch the wall at waist level with the fingertips of the affected arm. With your elbow slightly bent, slowly walk your fingers up the wall, spider-like, until you’ve raised your arm as far as you comfortably can. Your fingers should be doing the work, not your shoulder muscles.4. Cross body reach: Sit or stand. Use your good arm to lift your affected arm at the elbow, and bring it up and across your body, exerting gentle pressure to stretch the shoulder. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds.
5. Armpit stretch: Using your good arm, lift the affected arm onto a shelf about breast-high. Gently bend your knees, opening up the armpit. Deepen your knee bend slightly, gently stretching the armpit, and then straighten. With each knee bend, stretch a little further, but don’t force it.6. Outward rotation: Hold a rubber exercise band between your hands with your elbows at a 90-degree angle close to your sides. Rotate the lower part of the affected arm outward two or three inches and hold for five seconds.7. Inward rotation: stand next to a closed door, and hook one end of a rubber exercise band around the doorknob. Hold the other end with the hand of the affected arm, holding your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Pull the band toward your body two or three inches and hold for five seconds.Disclaimer:The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.Advertisement