Evaluating Muscular and Cardiovascular Responses to Isometric Handgrip Exercise Among Diabetics and Non-diabetics in a Tertiary Care Center.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that impairs glucose metabolism, associated with cardiovascular and muscular complications. Research indicates that diabetes may alter heart rate and blood pressure responses, affecting recovery dynamics after physical exertion. Isometric handgrip exercises are a practical method for evaluating muscular strength and cardiovascular function. It provides valuable insights into muscle function and cardiovascular health, particularly in a controlled setting, thereby facilitating the execution of this study.

Aim: To evaluate isometric handgrip strength among diabetic and non-diabetics and to assess the cardiovascular response after isometric handgrip exercise between diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.

Materials And Methodology: It is a cross-sectional study involving two groups of male participants aged between 30 to 50 years; a control group of 50 healthy volunteers, and a study group of 50 individuals with type 2 diabetes of less than five years duration under oral hypoglycemic drugs. Isometric strength and endurance were assessed using a handgrip dynamometer. Heart rate and blood pressure were recorded at rest, immediately after the exercise, and at two, and three minutes post-exercise. Data on isometric strength and cardiovascular recovery parameters were compared between the study and control group and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

Results: In diabetic individuals baseline isometric handgrip strength, Tmax (kg) (Mean ± SD (30.94 ± 7.7)) was significantly decreased compared to non-diabetics (Mean ± SD (38.62 ± 4.39)) with p<0.001. Both groups showed similar immediate cardiovascular responses to the exercise. However, diabetic individuals demonstrated slower heart rate and blood pressure recovery after exercise compared to non-diabetics with p<0.001.

Conclusion: A decrease in baseline isometric handgrip strength among diabetics might reflect potential metabolic and structural changes in muscle tissue. Following exercise, the slower recovery of cardiovascular responses that occurred in diabetic individuals may be due to disturbances in the autonomic system. These findings suggest that adjusting exercise prescriptions for diabetics can improve cardiovascular health management and hence the quality of life.