Sport Tips for Diabetics
Participating in a sport as a diabetic takes some planning. The following tips should help diabetics get ready to play sport, whether they are children or adults. Before participating in sport or exercise, diabetics should make their doctors aware of their intentions and take notice of any advice.
Diabetes sports tips
- Testing yourself. Diabetics taking part in sport should be able to test themselves, and take advice from their doctor on when to test blood sugar levels. Diabetics participating in sport may have to test before, during and after exercise.
- Have insulin ready. For type 1 diabetics and type 2 diabetics who require insulin, make sure you have insulin ready when playing sport.
- Secure your insulin pump. Before playing sport, make sure that your insulin pump will not be disturbed by the activity. If you can’t play a sport because of your insulin pump, consult your doctor.
- Choose your food carefully. Your doctor will also be able to tell you what to eat as a diabetic taking part in sport. For instance, you may need extra snack food before, during or after playing sport. Make sure you carry snacks and water with you, wherever you are exercising.
- Take sufficient supplies. Take sufficient testing equipment, medication, emergency contact information.
- Choose insulin site wisely. Don’t administer insulin to a part of the body about to be actively used in sport, as this can cause hypoglycaemia.
- Tell people. Don’t exercise with people that don’t know you are diabetic. There is nothing to be ashamed of, so don’t hide it, particularly from teachers or sports coaches.
- Be ready to quit. Quitting in sport is not usually encouraged, but as a diabetic you have to be ready to quite, usually just long enough to drink water, eat a snack or test blood sugar levels.
Diabetes sports tips for children and parents
- Take advice. As a parent, make sure you take advice from a doctor or diabetic health care team before allowing your child to take part in sport. These experts should be able to provide you with clear advice about taking part in sport.
- Make testing/medication changes. It is likely that your child will need to vary their testing regime, or insulin/medication dosage.
- Adjust meals and snacks. For children in particular, being a diabetic and taking part in sport may need adjustment to meals and snacks. The diabetic health care team should be able to recommend suitable snacks and advice on when they should be eaten.
- Take snacks and water. Wherever your child is taking part in sport, make sure that they have snacks and water close to hand.
- Make sure that all equipment is packed. If you diabetic child is going away to play sport, make sure all of his or her equipment is packed.
- Tell teachers and coaches. Both teachers and coaches should know that your child is diabetic, and understand what this means.
- Encourage your child. Taking part in sport is good both mentally and physically. If your child can stay fit and healthy, whilst still keeping a tight control on blood sugar levels, in the long run it will benefit his or her diabetes and overall health.
Diabetes experts indicate that no matter how closely children and parents stick to diabetes sporting advice from doctors, at some point children are likely to experience low blood sugar. All diabetic children participating in sport should carry some type of medical identification which details diabetic treatments and provides contact details in event of emergency. This final tip also applies to older people participating in sport.
