Constant exercise is primordial to avoid diabetes related complications and to maintain the appropriate blood sugar level. Exercising regularly is one of the three basic pillars of diabetes control, together with a balanced diet and glycemic control.

Good options to exercise this summer are water sports, ideal to train the whole body and to control blood glucose levels. Among aquatic sports we can find options for everyone’s taste, like surf, windsurf, scuba diving, swimming and aquagym.

Swimming is an ideal sport to exercise the muscles, at a high or low intensity. It is a continuous movement that allows the body a higher pump of blood and oxygen. The lightness that provides water when exercising makes swimming the ideal sport for overweight people, or people with articular pain, since it does not cause additional stress in the knees, elbows or other body parts affected by the impact. Breaststroke, however, is not recommended for people who suffer cervical problems, being that it overloads that specific zone, and it could become counterproductive if the intensity and the method are not the right ones. Even so, inside the water, body weight is completely supported, so it is less likely to suffer injuries.

Swimming is specially recommended to those who have numb lower limbs or low sensitivity in their feet, one of the most frequent complications of diabetes and exercising. If proper care and keeping of track are not put to use, these complications could deteriorate even more. In this case, special aquatic footwear that protects toes, avoiding cuts and hits, should be used.

Swimming trains superior and inferior muscles at the same time, unlike other exercises. It could be considered the ideal exercise to get in shape and care for blood glucose levels.

If you are interested in all the recommendations for diabetic people who exercise, here there is a free guide to clear up the basic principles and the adequate guidelines that should be followed to play sports or exercise.