What exercises can people with diabetes complications do?

Safe start🙂

If you want to learn more about safe exercise for certain diabetes complications, see the list below. Be sure to talk to your diabetologist.

The following text can serve as a guide to the types of activities that may be suitable for you.

Heart diseases

Watch out!
Very strenuous activity, weight lifting or exertion, isometric exercise, exercise in extremely high or low temperatures.

Beneficial types of activity

Moderate activity such as walking, daily housework, gardening, fishing. Moderate dynamic weight lifting, stretching. Activity in moderate climates.

High blood pressure

Watch out!
Very intense activity, weight lifting and isometric exercises.

Beneficial physical activities

The most moderate activity, such as walking, moderate weight lifting, weight lifting with light weights and a high number of repetitions, stretching.

Nephropathy

Beneficial activities

Light to moderate daily activities such as walking, light housework, gardening and water exercise.

Peripheral neuropathy

Watch out!
High-impact, strenuous or prolonged activities, such as walking long distances, running on a treadmill, jumping, exercising in high or low temperatures, weight-bearing exercises in case of foot injury, open wound or ulceration.

Beneficial activities

Light to moderate daily activities, exercise in moderate climates, moderate weight-bearing exercises that have little impact on the body (e.g., walking, cycling, swimming, chair exercises). Moderate weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, is fine after foot ulcers heal.

*People with peripheral neuropathy must have proper footwear and should check their feet daily.

Autonomic neuropathy

Watch out!
Exercise in extreme heat where dehydration can occur, activities that require rapid changes in movement that can result in fainting. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program – a stress test may be required.

Beneficial activities

Mild to moderate aerobic exercise and resistance training, but increase the duration of exercise slowly. Follow your doctor’s recommendations.

Retinopathy

Watch out!
Intense exercise, activities that require heavy lifting and exertion, holding your breath while lifting or pushing, isometric exercises, activities that cause shaking, head-down activities.

Beneficial activities

Moderate activity with low impact on the body (e.g., walking, cycling, water exercise), moderate daily chores that do not require lifting weights, exertion or lowering the head below the waist.

Peripheral vascular diseases

Watch out!
High-impact activities.

Beneficial activities

Moderate walking (you can do intermittent exercise with periods of walking followed by periods of rest), non-weight-bearing exercise: swimming, cycling, chair exercises.