Getting on their feet may benefit diabetics

Patients with a history of diabetic foot ulcers long have been advised to avoid weight-bearing exercise, because the extra pressure was thought to increase their risk of developing or worsening these hard-to-heal sores.

But a new study questions that advice. Researchers found that diabetic patients who do more standing, walking and other activity involving their feet have a decreased risk of developing ulcers. Walking can help them better manage their blood sugar levels and improve their cardiovascular health. And gradually increasing activity probably protects foot tissues, the researchers found.

Among 17 million diabetic Americans, about 40% will develop nerve damage in their feet. The resulting numbness means they may not notice foot trauma and infections. As many as 15% of diabetics develop foot ulcers, which can lead to amputations of the lower leg.

Researchers from the University of Washington and the University of Missouri at Columbia conducted a two-year study of 400 diabetic patients ages 45 to 84 with a history of foot ulcers. Researchers had the patients regularly report the time they spent sleeping, reclining, sitting, standing, walking or performing exercises, such as swimming, stretching and strength training.

Patients who reported being on their feet at least 7 1/2 hours a day were 80% less likely to develop a foot ulcer than the least active participants, according to findings published in the July issue of Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, a journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

However, researchers haven’t yet pinpointed which activities, besides walking, are safe for those with diabetes and foot numbness, said author Dr. Joseph W. LeMaster, a family and community medicine specialist at the University of Missouri.

He and his colleagues wrote that if further studies confirm their findings, agencies and organizations that advise people with diabetes “will be free to encourage participation in physical activity without unnecessary weight-bearing restrictions.”