Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) Practice Exam

What exercise recommendation is appropriate for individuals with severe peripheral neuropathy?

1. Avoid all weight-bearing exercises.

2. Engage in moderate-intensity walking.

3. Avoid non-weight-bearing exercises if there is a foot injury.

4. Use chair exercises only.

The correct answer is: Engage in moderate-intensity walking.

Engaging in moderate-intensity walking is a suitable exercise recommendation for individuals with severe peripheral neuropathy, provided that they are properly assessed for safety and have no severe foot deformities or injuries. Walking offers cardiovascular benefits, improves circulation, and can enhance overall mobility without excessively stressing the joints and feet, which can be particularly important for individuals with neuropathy. When advising people with this condition, it’s crucial to highlight that while restriction on certain physical activities may be necessary to prevent injury, moderate-intensity walking can enhance muscle strength and coordination. Wearing appropriate footwear and monitoring foot health regularly should also be emphasized to prevent complications during physical activity. For the other choices, although avoiding weight-bearing exercises might seem reasonable in some cases, a complete avoidance may limit beneficial physical activity options and does not consider safe forms of exercise like walking. Avoiding non-weight-bearing exercises is not typically recommended if the individual has a foot injury; adapting exercise routines can often accommodate such circumstances. Chair exercises can be beneficial, but they should not be the only option considered unless specific conditions necessitate such a limitation.