{"id":27239,"date":"2020-07-27T13:03:45","date_gmt":"2020-07-27T20:03:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/?p=27239"},"modified":"2020-07-27T13:39:26","modified_gmt":"2020-07-27T20:39:26","slug":"5-key-strengthening-exercises-for-people-with-diabetes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/all-mfn\/5-key-strengthening-exercises-for-people-with-diabetes\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Key Strengthening Exercises for People with Diabetes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although stay-at-home restrictions are loosening around the USA and summer is coming, you may still need to get some of your activities indoors at home for a variety of reasons. If you aren\u2019t doing resistance workouts already, you should really consider adding some resistance exercises to your normal regimens.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, if you do nothing else, doing these 5 key exercises is critical for people with diabetes who may have weak core muscles, altered gait and balance, and central and peripheral nerve damage.\u00a0 If you lose your core strength, it will affect your ability to do all activities of daily living, including walking and living independently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do at least one set of 8-15 reps of each one, but work up to doing 2-3 sets of each one per workout.\u00a0 For best results, do these exercises at least 2 or 3 nonconsecutive days per week \u2014 muscles need a day or two off to fully recover and get stronger \u2014 but just don\u2019t do them right before you go do another physical activity (as a fatigued core increases your risk of injury).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These and many more exercises are available on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmacademy.com\/resources\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes Motion Academy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for free download.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise 1: Crunches with waist worker<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise 2: Chair sit-ups OR Low back strengthener<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise 3: Modified push-ups<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise 4: Squats OR Suitcase lifts<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise 5: Sit-to-Stand exercise<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>#1: Crunches with waist worker<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><b>Crunches:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27283 size-medium alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image1-300x245.jpg\" alt=\"Crunch Example\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image1-300x245.jpg 300w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image1.jpg 525w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lie down on your back with your knees bent.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Place your hands on your head right behind your ears.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While breathing out, contract your abdominal muscles to lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor and curl forward no more than 45 degrees.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hold for a moment before returning to the starting position, then repeat.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Waist worker:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27292 size-medium alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image8-300x244.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image8-300x244.jpg 300w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image8.jpg 513w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lie on your back on the mat with your legs bent, your feet flat on the floor, and your left hand behind your head.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stretch your right hand across your body toward your opposite (left) knee and circle your hand three times around your knee in a counterclockwise direction; your right shoulder blade will lift off the mat.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Repeat the circular movement around the right knee using your left arm, but in a clockwise motion.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your head in a neutral position and relax your neck to ensure that the contraction is in your abdomen area only.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>#2: Chair sit-ups OR Low back strengthener<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><b>Chair sit-ups:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27285 size-medium alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image11-245x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"245\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image11-245x300.jpg 245w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image11.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\" \/><\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sit up straight in a chair with your feet on the floor, hands to your sides for support.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bend forward, keeping your lower back as straight as possible, moving your chest down toward your thighs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slowly straighten back up, using your lower back muscles to raise your torso.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For added resistance, put a resistance band under both feet before you start and hold one end in each hand during the movement.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>OR<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Low back strengthener (Superman exercise):<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directions:<i><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-27286 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image2-300x244.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image2-300x244.jpg 300w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image2.jpg 596w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lie on your stomach with your arms straight over your head, your chin resting on the floor between your arms.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keeping your arms and legs straight, simultaneously lift your feet and your hands as high off the floor as you can (aim for at least three inches off the floor).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hold that position (sort of a Superman flying position) for 10 seconds if possible, and then relax your arms and legs back onto the floor.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If this exercise is too difficult to start, try lifting just your legs or arms off the floor separately&#8211;or even just one limb at a time.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>#3: Modified push-ups<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27290 size-medium alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image6-300x243.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"243\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image6-300x243.jpg 300w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image6.jpg 440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-27287  alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image3-300x242.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image3-300x242.jpg 300w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image3.jpg 449w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get on your hands and knees on the floor or mat.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If using a band for extra resistance, position it across your back and hold one end of it in each hand so that it is somewhat tight when your elbows are straight.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the mat.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tighten your abdominal muscles to straighten your lower back and lower yourself (from your knees, not your feet) down toward the mat as far as you can without touching it.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Push yourself back up until your arms are extended, but without locking your elbows.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If this exercise is too hard, stand facing a wall and place your arms on it at shoulder height and your feet about a foot away; then, do your push-ups off the wall (with or without a resistance band).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>#4: Squats OR Suitcase Lifts<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Squats:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h4><i><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-27291 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image7-247x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"247\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image7-247x300.jpg 247w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image7.jpg 362w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 247px) 100vw, 247px\" \/><\/i><i><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-27289 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image5-243x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"243\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image5-243x300.jpg 243w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image5.jpg 357w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 243px) 100vw, 243px\" \/><\/i><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stand with a dumbbell (or household item, like water bottles) in each hand and your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointing slightly out to the side.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re using a resistance band, tie both ends of your band onto a straight bar or broom handle, which is placed squarely across your shoulders with the loop of the tied band placed under your feet.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your body weight over the back portion of your foot rather than your toes; if needed, lift your arms out in front of you to shoulder height to balance yourself.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Begin squatting down but stop before your thighs are parallel to the floor (at about a 70-degree bend), keeping your back flat and your abdominal muscles firm at all times.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hold that position for a few seconds before pushing up from your legs until your body is upright in the starting position.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do squats with your back against a smooth wall if needed to maintain your balance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>OR<\/b><\/p>\n<h4><b>Suitcase lift:<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directions:<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-27288 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-80x80.jpg 80w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image4-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After placing dumbbells (or household items) slightly forward and between your feet on the floor, stand in an upright position with your back straight.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your arms straight, with your hands in front of your abdomen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With your back straight, bend only your knees and reach down to pick up the dumbbells.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pick up the dumbbells or items in both hands, then push up with your legs and stand upright, keeping your back straight.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>#5: Sit-to-Stand exercise<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><\/h4>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-27284 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image10-218x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"218\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image10-218x300.png 218w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image10.png 353w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-27293 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image9-187x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"187\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image9-187x300.png 187w, https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/image9.png 289w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 187px) 100vw, 187px\" \/><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Directions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sit toward the front of a sturdy chair and fold your arms across your chest.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your back\u00a0and shoulders straight while you lean forward slightly and practice using only your legs to stand up slowly and to sit back down.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To assist you initially, place pillows on the chair behind your low back.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmacademy.com\/resources\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes Motion Academy Resources<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u201cBasic Core Exercises,\u201d Sheri R. Colberg \u00a9 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b><i>Sheri R. Colberg, PhD, FACSM<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is the author of\u00a0The Athlete\u2019s Guide to Diabetes: Expert Advic<\/span><\/i><i>e for 165 Sports and Activities (the newest edition of Diabetic Athlete\u2019s Handbook), available through <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/us.humankinetics.com\/products\/athlete-s-guide-to-diabetes-the\"><i>Human Kinetics<\/i><\/a><i>,\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2IkVpYx\"><i>Amazon<\/i><\/a><i>, Barnes &amp; Noble, and elsewhere. She is also the author of\u00a0Diabetes &amp; Keeping Fit for Dummies. A professor emerita of exercise science from Old Dominion University and an internationally recognized diabetes motion expert, she is the author of 12 books, 30 book chapters, and over 420\u00a0 articles. She was honored with the 2016 American Diabetes Association Outstanding Educator in Diabetes Award. Contact her via her websites,\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/shericolberg.com\/\"><i>SheriColberg.com<\/i><\/a><i>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/diabetesmotion.com\/\"><i>DiabetesMotion.com<\/i><\/a><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although stay-at-home restrictions are loosening around the USA and summer is coming, you may still need to get some of your activities indoors at home for a variety of reasons. If you aren\u2019t doing resistance workouts already, you should really consider adding some resistance exercises to your normal regimens.\u00a0 In fact, if you do nothing else, doing these 5 key exercises is critical for people with diabetes who may have weak core muscles, altered gait and balance, and central and peripheral nerve damage.\u00a0 If you lose your core strength, it will affect your ability to do all activities of daily living, including walking and living independently. Do at least one set of 8-15 reps of each one, but work up to doing 2-3 sets of each one per workout.\u00a0 For best results, do these exercises at least 2 or 3 nonconsecutive days per week \u2014 muscles need a day or two off to fully recover and get stronger \u2014 but just don\u2019t do them right before you go do another physical activity (as a fatigued core increases your risk of injury).\u00a0\u00a0 These and many more exercises are available on Diabetes Motion Academy for free download. Exercise 1: Crunches with waist [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":27300,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[198],"class_list":["post-27239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-mfn","tag-fitness-professionals"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27239\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}