Exercise interventions for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: A narrative review with practical recommendations

Table 1 Evaluation protocols in type 1 diabetes mellitus exercise programming

Parameter	Measures	Comments
Aerobic fitness
Incremental test	Workload and steady-state HR to predict VO2peak; RPE	Treadmill or cyclo-ergometer; Gas collection system and HR monitor necessary. Begin with unloaded warm-up
6-min walking test	Total distance walked, HR, RPE, BP	HR and BP monitor necessary
Muscular strength/power
Indirect repetitions maximum testing	Maximal weight lifted for < 10 repetitions	Use machines. Remind patients to exhale on concentric action and avoid holding their breath
Force-Velocity profile	Execution velocity at a given load	Encoder necessary
Timed up and go test	Time to stand from a chair, walk a 3-m round trip, and sit back down on the same chair	Results correlate with gait speed, balance, functional level, the ability to go out
30-s sit to stand test	Number of times patient comes to a full stand with arms crossing a standard size chair in 30 s	A functional measure of lower limb strength, power, and muscle endurance
Flexibility/mobility
Goniometry	Range of motion	Focus on flexibility of hamstrings, hip flexors, ankle plantar flexors, shoulder adductors, and internal rotators
WBLT	Ankle dorsiflexion	No footwear; no equipment
Psychological well-being
SF-36	Quality of life	Eight-domain profile of functional health and well-being scores
PSQI	Sleep quality	Seven-domain profile of sleep quality and related disorders

BP: Blood pressure; HR: Heart rate; PSQI: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; RPE: Rating of perceived exertion; SF-36: Short Form Health Survey-36; WBLT: Weight-bearing lunge test.