Rethinking diabetic foot ulcer care: Integrating exercise and physical activity

Because repetitive trauma and pressure contributes to diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) development and progression, offloading is one of the main therapies used in treatment. The term offloading has become conflated with a reduction in movement altogether, increasing sedentary time and, with it, the risk of associated adverse health outcomes. The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the literature on movement-based interventions (reducing sedentary time, increasing physical activity (PA), or increasing exercise) in DFU patients. We found 16 articles that looked at the effect of exercise in individuals with a DFU. While many studies demonstrate the therapeutic potential of exercise, methodological inconsistencies between them prevent firm conclusions from being drawn regarding the efficacy of movement in promoting ulcer healing. The collected evidence underscores the need to address factors such as patient adherence, weight-bearing progression, and specifics surrounding movement programs (frequency, intensity, etc.) in future studies. Addressing these gaps, as well as determining barriers and facilitators to engaging in movement unique to those with a DFU, will advance research rigor and, with it, our understanding of how movement can be effectively leveraged to improve DFU care.