Physical Activity & Exercise Flashcards
7 cards from real Diabetes practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Physical Activity & Exercise flashcards as text
A patient with type 2 diabetes asks how soon after starting an exercise program they can expect to see improvements in insulin sensitivity. What is the most accurate response?
Answer: A single bout of exercise can improve insulin sensitivity for up to 24–48 hours
Even a single session of moderate-intensity exercise can enhance insulin sensitivity for 24–48 hours, independent of weight loss.
Which mechanism primarily explains why resistance training improves glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes?
Answer: Increased muscle mass leading to greater glucose disposal capacity
Resistance training builds skeletal muscle mass, which is the primary site of insulin-mediated glucose uptake, increasing overall glucose disposal.
A patient with type 1 diabetes is planning a 45-minute afternoon swim. Her pre-exercise blood glucose is 140 mg/dL. What is the most appropriate guidance?
Answer: Proceed with exercise; the blood glucose level is acceptable
A pre-exercise blood glucose of 140 mg/dL is within the safe range (100–250 mg/dL) for most patients with type 1 diabetes to begin aerobic exercise.
What is the primary concern with high-intensity anaerobic exercise (e.g., sprinting) in a patient with type 1 diabetes?
Answer: It triggers a catecholamine surge that can raise blood glucose acutely
Anaerobic exercise triggers catecholamine release, which stimulates hepatic glucose production and can cause transient hyperglycemia.
For a sedentary adult with type 2 diabetes and no contraindications, which exercise prescription aligns with ADA guidelines?
Answer: 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity with no more than 2 consecutive rest days
The ADA recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise spread over at least 3 days, with no more than 2 consecutive days without activity.
A patient with type 2 diabetes reports that interrupting prolonged sitting with 3-minute light walking breaks every 30 minutes significantly improves his glucose levels. What physiological mechanism best explains this?
Answer: Muscle contractions facilitate GLUT4 translocation independent of insulin
Muscle contractions during movement promote GLUT4 transporter translocation to the cell surface via an insulin-independent pathway, enhancing glucose uptake.
Which condition is considered an absolute contraindication to vigorous exercise in a patient with diabetes?
Answer: Proliferative diabetic retinopathy with recent vitreous hemorrhage
Proliferative retinopathy with vitreous hemorrhage or retinal detachment risk is an absolute contraindication to vigorous exercise due to risk of further hemorrhage.