Fitness and Muscle Work

By Rebecca Buffum Taylor WebMD Feature Before You Start: Safety First If you have nerve pain, get the go-ahead to start any new form of exercise from your doctor. You don't want to make diabetic neuropathy worse - and most diabetic people are at higher risk of heart and circulation problems, so your doctor may want to check your heart, eyes, and feet. Be cautious about exercising if your blood sugar is over 250, says Trence. "For some people it may be a little higher or lower," she says, "but it's an approximate number above which, clearly, we want people to watch and see what happens. See what your own body does." Check your blood glucose before and after exercise so you learn how your body and medications responds to different kinds of activity, advises the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Tip 1. Go for Low-Impact Exercise Knowing you're doing something safe -- especially if you have painful neuropathy or loss of sensation removes one barrier to ex...

Study Shows Exercising on Treadmill Improves Walking Ability of Stroke Patients By Caroline Wilbert WebMD Health News Reviewed by Elizabeth Klodas, MD, FACC Aug. 28, 2008 -- Treadmill exercise may improve stroke survivors' walking ability by rewiring parts of the brain, according to a new study. The study also shows treadmill exercise may be better than stretching, the traditional exercise prescribed after a stroke, both for walking and overall fitness. Researchers at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center compared 37 patients who performed "progressive task repetitive treadmill therapy" with 34 patients who did stretching. The patients had chronic hemiparesis, which is weakness on one side of the body, at least six months after a stroke. The patients had all completed conventional rehabilitation. The treadmill group was given the goal of three 40-minute sessions per week on the treadmill at 60% of their heart rate reserve. They started o...