Glycemic and Pressoric Responses to Single and Multi Joint Resistance Exercises in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial

INTRODUCTION: There is lack of knowledge about glycemic and blood pressure effects of resistance exercises with different amounts of muscle mass involved. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the acute glycemic and blood pressure effects of single- and multi-joint resistance training in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). METHODS: This is a randomized crossover clinical trial, being included adults with T2DM, of both genders. The participants performed three sessions (two experimental: one with single-joint exercises (SIN) and the other with multi-joint exercises (MULTI); and a control session (CON)) in randomized order, with outcomes being evaluated in the pre-exercise, immediately, 15 and 30 minutes after the sessions. Both sessions consisted of five exercises performed in three sets of 10 to 12 maximum repetitions. Analyzes were performed by generalized estimation equations. RESULTS: Fifty adults (11 women) participated in the study. Both experimental sessions showed expressive glycemic reductions immediately after the sessions (MULTI: -17 mg/dl; SIN: -29 mg/dl), and these values were kept similar up to 30 minutes after the session. The control session presented a glycemic reduction immediately after the exercise (-18mg/dl), which increased 15 minutes later (-29mg/dl), stabilizing up to 30 minutes after the session. Systolic blood pressure was increased immediately after both experimental sessions, retuning to baseline values 15 minutes post-session. Diastolic blood pressure was increased in control session along of time, without alterations in experimental sessions. CONCLUSION: Similar glycemic reductions were found in the experimental sessions, but without superiority over the control session. Minimal effects were found in blood pressure.