Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on Glucose Control, Neuropathy Scores, Balance, and Quality of Life in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Neuropathy.

Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on Glucose Control, Neuropathy Scores,
Balance, and Quality of Life in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Neuropathy.

Ahn S, Song R.

Source

Chungnam National University , College of Nursing, Daejeon, South Korea
.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim
of this study was to determine the effects of Tai Chi exercise on glucose
control, neuropathy scores, balance, and quality of life in patients with type
2 diabetes and neuropathy.

Methods: A
pretest–posttest design with a nonequivalent control group was utilized to
recruit 59 diabetic patients with neuropathy from an outpatient clinic of a
university hospital. A standardized Tai Chi for diabetes program was provided,
which comprised 1 hour of Tai Chi per session, twice a week for 12 weeks.
Outcome variables were fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin for
glucose control, the Semmes-Weinstein 10-g monofilament examination scores and
total symptom scores for neuropathy, single leg stance for balance, and the
Korean version of the SF-36v2 for quality of life. Thirty-nine patients
completed the posttest measures after the 12-week Tai Chi intervention, giving
a 34% dropout rate.

Results: The mean
age of the participants was 64 years, and they had been diagnosed with type 2
diabetes for more than 12 years. The status was significantly better for the
participants in the Tai Chi group (n=20) than for their control (i.e.,
nonintervention) counterparts (n=19) in terms of total symptom scores,
glucose control, balance, and quality of life.

Conclusion: Tai Chi
improved glucose control, balance, neuropathic symptoms, and some dimensions of
quality of life in diabetic patients with neuropathy. Further studies with
larger samples and long-term follow-up are needed to confirm the effects of Tai
Chi on the management of diabetic neuropathy, which may have an impact on fall
prevention in this population.