Relationships within and between lower and upper extremity dysfunction in people with diabetes

Area of Science:

• Musculoskeletal Health
• Diabetes Research
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus (DM) is linked to widespread musculoskeletal impairments affecting both lower and upper extremities.
• Concurrent development of problems in both limb types suggests a systemic issue in individuals with DM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationships between lower and upper extremity function in individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
• To identify correlations between specific functional measures of the lower and upper limbs in this population.

Main Methods:

• Sixty individuals with type 2 DM and peripheral neuropathy underwent functional assessments.
• Measures included self-reported function (FAAM, SPADI), range of motion (ankle dorsiflexion, shoulder flexion), and strength (unilateral heel rise, hand grip).
• Pearson correlations were used to analyze associations between lower and upper extremity measures.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of pain/disability was reported in both foot/ankle and shoulder regions (67%).
• Significant correlations were found between lower and upper extremity function: FAAM and SPADI (r = -0.39), ankle dorsiflexion and shoulder flexion (r = 0.35), and UHR and hand grip strength (r = 0.40).
• Intra-extremity correlations were also significant, such as FAAM with UHR (r = .47).

Conclusions:

• The observed inter- and intra-extremity relationships underscore the presence of systemic musculoskeletal impairments in people with diabetes.
• Healthcare providers should proactively assess and manage potential concurrent musculoskeletal issues in diabetic patients.