Fat, Muscle, and the Benefits of Exercise for People With Diabetes

Participants: Lisa Stehno-Bittel, PT, PhD, David R Sinacore, PT, PhD, FAPTA, and Robin L Marcus, PT, PhD. Moderator: Michael J Mueller, PT, PhD, FAPTA, Guest Editor of the Diabetes Special Issue.

Files in this Data Supplement:

• Discussion Podcast - This podcast highlights PTJ’s Diabetes Special Issue (November 2008). Three authors join Michael Mueller to discuss findings from their articles in the special issue. As Mueller explains, the articles share common themes: “Each of these papers presents fascinating and new information about the roles of fat in people with diabetes, especially fat in muscle, and about how this fat appears to impair muscle function.” Find out more about the effects that exercise can have both on fat and on fat-related impairments in physical function.

  “Adding a high-force resistance component did not worsen their glucose control.”

  “A lot of us used to think that fat just stored energy.”

  “Diabetes really was never meant to be a disease because it was never meant to be a permanent state.”

  “Patients with diabetes are much, much weaker, even though they have large muscles.”

  Running time: 24:26 (11,462 KB)

  References:

  Stehno-Bittel L. Intricacies of fat. Phys Ther. 2008;11:1265–1278.

  Hilton TN, Tuttle LJ, Bohnert KL, et al. Excessive adipose tissue infiltration in skeletal muscle individuals with obesity, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy: association with performance and function. Phys Ther. 2008;88:1316–1344.

  Marcus RL, Smith S, Morrell G, et al. Comparison of combined aerobic and high-force eccentric resistance exercise with aerobic exercise only for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Phys Ther. 2008;88:1345–1354.