What are the potential risks of exercise for people with diabetes?
There are some potential risks of exercise for people with diabetes. The action of hypoglycemic medications, including sulfonylureas and insulin, may be enhanced and result in hypoglycemia (too low a level of glucose in the blood). Because the patient with diabetes is more likely to have heart disease (with or without symptoms), the risk of arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat) and ischemia (decreased supply of oxygenated blood) also are increased. In elderly individuals, anti-gravity exercises may aggravate degenerative joint disease or (more likely) lead to soft-tissue injuries. In patients with active retinopathy, strenuous exercise may precipitate hemorrhage within the eye or retinal detachment. Can I stop exercising regularly if I lose enough weight? No. Recent studies suggest that exercise must be performed regularly since the metabolic changes begin to revert to their original levels within 72 hours of stopping exercise (Burstein et al, Diabetes 34:756). Regular exercise results in lo
