Diabetes Can't Keep a Good Athlete Out of the Game
Famous Athletes with Diabetes
- Arthur Ashe, tennis
- Bobby Clarke, hockey
- Ty Cobb, baseball
- Chris Dudley, basketball
- Joe Frazier, boxing
- Gary Hall, swimming
- Jason Johnson, baseball
- Kelli Kuehne, golf
- Crissy Lemons, speed skating
- Michelle McGann, golf
- Sugar Ray Robinson, boxing
- Kendall Simmons, football
- Wade Wilson, football
For more information, please call one of the Memorial Healthcare System Diabetes Management Centers:
Memorial Regional Hospital
(954) 265-5889
Memorial Hospital West
(954) 844-6801
Memorial Hospital Pembroke
(954) 963-8013
November 2004 — What do pro golfer Kelli Kuehne, baseball pitcher Jason Johnson and speed skater Crissy Lemons have in common? Diabetes.
"You might think that diabetes would keep a person from exercising, but that's not true at all," says Kenrick Smith, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation supervisor and exercise physiologist at Memorial Regional Hospital Fitness & Rehabilitation Center. "Diabetic athletes just have to be careful. The more information they have, the better they can decide when to eat, train, compete and rest."
Diabetes occurs when the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that controls blood glucose levels and helps to convert food into energy. Although the cause of diabetes is not known, factors such as obesity and lack of exercise are thought to contribute.
There are two major types of diabetes:
- Type 1 is when the body produces little or no insulin. It is usually diagnosed before age 30, and patients are dependent on daily insulin treatments their entire lives.
- Type 2 is a metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to produce enough or properly use insulin. Most people diagnosed with type 2 are obese and diet and exercise can often control the condition.
How Exercise Can Help
Diabetes is a good reason to be active. "Exercise can be the first line of defense for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes," says Smith, who is an active volunteer with the American Diabetes Association. Exercise uses glucose for energy, which helps to lower blood glucose levels. Also, exercise helps to prevent cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death for diabetics.
Athletes with diabetes have to take some special precautions. Diabetes can cause loss of feeling in the feet, so athletes must be attentive to foot blisters, sores and infections. The athlete with diabetes might also disregard excessive thirst, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue and blurry vision as the results of working out when, in fact, they can be symptoms of diabetes.
If you have diabetes and want to start exercising, have a complete medical exam first. Talk with your doctor about activities that are appropriate for your abilities, age and condition.
Memorial Healthcare System's inpatient and outpatient diabetes programs focus on self-care skills and improving quality of life for diabetic adults and children. Outreach services include community screenings and free support groups.
For referral to a physician, please call Memorial Physician Referral Service at (800) 944-DOCS.