Weight-Bearing Exercise and Foot Health in Native Americans

Diabetes contributes to sensory peripheral neuropathy, which has been linked to lower limb abnormalities that raise the risk for foot ulcers and amputations. Because amputations are a reason for pain and hospitalization in those with diabetes, it is of critical importance to gain insight about prevention of ulcer development in this population. Although the American Diabetes Association (ADA) now recommends that individuals with neuropathy can engage in moderate-intensity weight-bearing activity (WBA), they must wear appropriate footwear and inspect their feet daily. The physical forces and inflammatory processes from WBA may contribute to plantar characteristics that lead to ulcers. The purpose of this study was to compare neuropathic status and foot characteristics in Native Americans according to WBA classification. The t tests for unequal sample sizes found that exercisers had more difficulty sensing baseline temperature than nonexercisers, except at the right foot (all p values < .05). By dividing groups into no/low risk and high risk for ulcer, a majority showed no/low risk according to touch and vibration sense. Exercisers demonstrated higher surface skin temperature gradients at the first metatarsal head, a plantar site where wounds tend to form. The more consistently exercisers performed, the higher the plan-tar pressures were at the right second (r = .24, p = .02) and third metatarsal heads (r = .26, p = .01). Findings from this investigation do not refute current ADA recommendations and further intervention studies are needed that are longitudinal and measures WBA more accurately.