I am 50 years old. I walk every day for an hour and swim on weekends to better manage my Type 2 Diabetes. Can you recommend some at-home exercises that can help me regulate my blood glucose during the monsoon season.It is good that you go for a walk and also swim on weekends to maintain your glucose levels. There are numerous exercises that you can do indoors. It is recommended to add those exercises to your daily routine. You can also continue doing them even in other seasons. These are the following exercises that you can do at your home.Neck exercisesBasic neck movements like forward tilting, backward tilting, side-tilting and side-rotation can be done. Avoid neck rotation if you suffer from neck pain or spondylitis. For chin tuck exercise, pull your neck by keeping your head straight. Hold the posture for 10 seconds and relax. Neck stretching exercises by pressuring your head with the opposite hand are also recommended. You can also do resisted neck exercises by pressing the head forward, backward and sideways against the pressure of the hand.Shoulder and upper back exercisesSchool PT exercises are an effective way to strengthen your shoulder and upper back muscles. Move your shoulders in a circular motion, both clock-wise and anti-clockwise. Take your shoulders up and down and also move them in and out.Hip and knee joint exercisesLie down straight on your back. Move your ankle and your toes back and forth keeping the leg straight for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down straight on your back and place a pillow under the heel of your leg. Press the pillow by putting pressure on your heel for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down straight on the back and place the pillow under your knee. Now press the pillow with your knee for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down straight on your back placing a pillow in between your knees. Press the pillow for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down straight on your back. Bend your knee and hold the position for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down keeping your legs straight. Now lift both the legs together keeping your knees straight. Hold the position for 10 seconds and relax.Turn sideways keeping your legs straight. Now lift the leg and hold the position for 10 seconds then relax. Repeat the same exercise by lying on the other side.Lie down on your stomach keeping your legs straight. Lift one leg keeping it straight. Hold the position for 10 seconds then bring the leg back to the normal position.Lie down straight on your stomach. Bend one knee and hold the position for 10 seconds and relax.Sit on a comfortable chair with good support. Lift your leg by keeping your knee straight. Hold the position for 10 seconds and relax.Do all the exercises twice a day for 5 to 10 repetitions and hold for 10 seconds for each repetition. Once you are adept at the above prescribed exercises, you can simultaneously start with higher intensity and longer duration exercises like yoga, including meditation, suryanamaskar and other asanas. You can also take up moderate gym exercises like lunges, abs, crunches and squats. Also strength training with weights and resistance band are recommended.Always consult your physiotherapist before taking up any exercise regime.- Dr. Nilaya Janorikar, PT, Consulting Dietician
I am 50 years old. I walk every day for an hour and swim on weekends to better manage my Type 2 Diabetes. Can you recommend some at-home exercises that can help me regulate my blood glucose during the monsoon season.It is good that you go for a walk and also swim on weekends to maintain your glucose levels. There are numerous exercises that you can do indoors. It is recommended to add those exercises to your daily routine. You can also continue doing them even in other seasons. These are the following exercises that you can do at your home.Neck exercisesBasic neck movements like forward tilting, backward tilting, side-tilting and side-rotation can be done. Avoid neck rotation if you suffer from neck pain or spondylitis. For chin tuck exercise, pull your neck by keeping your head straight. Hold the posture for 10 seconds and relax. Neck stretching exercises by pressuring your head with the opposite hand are also recommended. You can also do resisted neck exercises by pressing the head forward, backward and sideways against the pressure of the hand.Shoulder and upper back exercisesSchool PT exercises are an effective way to strengthen your shoulder and upper back muscles. Move your shoulders in a circular motion, both clock-wise and anti-clockwise. Take your shoulders up and down and also move them in and out.Hip and knee joint exercisesLie down straight on your back. Move your ankle and your toes back and forth keeping the leg straight for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down straight on your back and place a pillow under the heel of your leg. Press the pillow by putting pressure on your heel for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down straight on the back and place the pillow under your knee. Now press the pillow with your knee for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down straight on your back placing a pillow in between your knees. Press the pillow for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down straight on your back. Bend your knee and hold the position for 10 seconds and relax.Lie down keeping your legs straight. Now lift both the legs together keeping your knees straight. Hold the position for 10 seconds and relax.Turn sideways keeping your legs straight. Now lift the leg and hold the position for 10 seconds then relax. Repeat the same exercise by lying on the other side.Lie down on your stomach keeping your legs straight. Lift one leg keeping it straight. Hold the position for 10 seconds then bring the leg back to the normal position.Lie down straight on your stomach. Bend one knee and hold the position for 10 seconds and relax.Sit on a comfortable chair with good support. Lift your leg by keeping your knee straight. Hold the position for 10 seconds and relax.Do all the exercises twice a day for 5 to 10 repetitions and hold for 10 seconds for each repetition. Once you are adept at the above prescribed exercises, you can simultaneously start with higher intensity and longer duration exercises like yoga, including meditation, suryanamaskar and other asanas. You can also take up moderate gym exercises like lunges, abs, crunches and squats. Also strength training with weights and resistance band are recommended.Always consult your physiotherapist before taking up any exercise regime.- Dr. Nilaya Janorikar, PT, Consulting Dietician
