A brief overview of diabetes mellitus and exercise.

While exercise has not been shown to provide long-term improvements in blood glucose control, it has been shown to delay or prevent secondary conditions associated with diabetes. Exercise also offers significant psychological gains by allowing both IDDM and NIDDM patients to participate in normal recreational or competitive activities. A properly designed exercise prescription begins with the education of the patient, including a thorough understanding of the effects of exercise, the demand it places on the metabolic processes, and the necessary adjustments that must be made to maintain normoglycemia. A stress test is a recommended preliminary.