Some 20.6 million American adults suffer from diabetes. These people face a two-fold risk to develop arthritis, according to a study released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the May 9 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
"The prevalence of arthritis is astoundingly high in people with diabetes. Over half the people with diabetes have arthritis," said Dr. John H. Klippel, president and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation, as the Washington Post cites.
Scientists haven’t found where this link comes from, but it is supposed that obesity may carry the responsibility.
The report also points out the fact that 30 to 40% of individuals affected by both illnesses are not physically active enough. And that’s a paradox, as exercise is a very important aspect of combating these two affections. In case of diabetes, physical activities help to controlling blood sugar levels. It is a well-known fact that light exercises help to ease joint pain in people with arthritis.
The study was made on basis of telephone surveys conducted between 2005 and 2007, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No medical records were taken into account or analyzed. Information was only given by the persons inquired.
"Public health efforts to control diabetes are going to have to begin to pay attention to this problem of arthritis, if we ever hope to get people physically active. Many people with arthritis don't exercise because it hurts them. But they have to understand that if they exercise, it will actually reduce their pain and prevents the disease from progressing,” Dr John Klippel, president and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation said, as quoted by the Post.
The specialists recommend aerobic exercise, strength training, walking, swimming or biking, which are much more efficient than they are exhausting. They even gave some indications concerning walking. It is recommended that one begins with a 10 minute walk every day and gradually increases the number of minutes to 30. It is psychically helpful to have the walks accompanied by someone, is at reduces the feeling of making efforts.
