Efeitos do exercício físico e do destreinamento em idosas diagnosticadas com Diabetes Mellitus Tipo II : estudo de caso.

Diabetes Mellitus Type II (T2DM) is the most prevalent diabetes in the population and affects usually elderly people. T2DM can be controlled through a specific diet, physical exercise and medications. Elderly patients diagnosed with T2DM who practice physical activities regularly, present benefits such as: control of body weight, reduction of glucose, increase of insulin sensitivity, improvement of cardiovascular function and psychological profile, and minimize the effects of old age, preserving and improving the quality of life. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a combined physical exercise program in the training and detraining periods in the biochemical parameters and in the physical fitness of elderly women diagnosed with T2DM. The study included two elderly, sedentary women diagnosed with T2DM almost 10 years. The volunteers underwent blood tests to obtain biochemical parameters, physical tests with the objective of evaluating strength, endurance, balance, agility, speed and flexibility. The physical exercise program was performed for 60 minutes, three times a week, in two 16-week periods (training and retraining) and with breaks between these periods (detraining). Preliminary results indicated a reduction in the parameter of Glycated Hemoglobin and a reduction in mean Glycemia. Functional fitness improved during the training and retraining period. Only in the performance of the upper limb flexibility were fully reversed post-detraining. As final considerations, it can be stated that the combined and regular training program promotes reduction of the biochemical parameters of Diabetes Mellitus and improves the functional capacity of the elderly. With the detraining, there is a loss of these improvements, demonstrating how important is the habit of regular physical exercise for elderly diabetics.