Effect of aerobic training on nerve conduction in men with type 2 diabetes and peripheral neuropathy: A randomized controlled trial

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is one of the long-term complications of diabetes. Few studies have investigated the role of regular exercise on diabetic PN. We examined the effect of aerobic training on nerve conduction velocity and action potential amplitude in the lower limbs of men with type 2 diabetes and PN. In a randomized controlled study, 24 volunteers diagnosed with diabetic PN were randomly assigned to exercise or control groups. Aerobic training consisted of 20–45min walking or running at 50–70% of heart rate reserve for three sessions per week over 12weeks. Before and 48h after the experimental period, nerve conduction studies were performed and blood samples were taken to be analyzed for HbA1c, fasting and 2h postprandial glucose concentration. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA at significance level of P0.05). Moreover, HbA1c decreased to a greater extent in the exercise group compared to the control (P=0.014). Aerobic exercise training may have the potential to hinder the progression of diabetic PN by improving NCV. Given the sparse evidence in this domain, exercise-related mechanisms need to be studied in the future.