Conditions / Cardio-metabolic
Type 2 diabetes
Exercise is a first-line treatment, not a caution. The two things that actually change management are the gap between sessions and hypoglycaemia risk in clients on insulin or sulfonylureas.
Prescribe
- Resistance training 2-3 sessions per week on non-consecutive days
- 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity
- Never leave more than two consecutive days without aerobic activity
- Break up prolonged sitting with light activity every 30 minutes
- Have fast-acting carbohydrate available during sessions
Avoid, and why
- Long gaps between sessions - the glucose benefit of a single bout fades within 72 hours
- Training a client on insulin or a sulfonylurea without asking about hypoglycaemia
- Ignoring the feet - check footwear and ask about numbness before adding impact
- Advising anything about medication or insulin dosing, which is outside a trainer's scope
How the generator handles this
| Max exercise complexity | 4 |
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| Patterns excluded | None |
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| Balance work added | No |
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| Clearance required first | Yes |
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Sources
- Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (2021). Get Active Questionnaire.
Source
The current Canadian pre-participation screening tool, replacing the PAR-Q. Any YES answer directs the client to the Reference Document and, where indicated, to a physician or Qualified Exercise Professional before progressing.
- American Diabetes Association (Colberg et al.) (2016). Physical Activity/Exercise and Diabetes: A Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association.
Source
2-3 resistance sessions per week on non-consecutive days (grade B), 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity with no more than two consecutive days off, and prolonged sitting broken with light activity every 30 minutes (grade C).