Effect of Kinesitherapy on Sensory Disturbances in Patients with Diabetic Polyneuropathy

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of kinesitherapy on the sensory disturbances of lower extremities in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). Material and methods: One hundred twenty four patients with diabetes mellitus type II and DPN were investigated. They were divided into two groups. The experimental group included 90 patients (52 women and 38 men, mean age 58.5 +/- 8.7 years) and the control group consisted of 34 patients (16 women and 18 men, mean age 58.8 +/- 7.5 years). Sensory disturbances were evaluated at the start of the treatment, on day 10, at week 6 and 6 months after the beginning of the therapy. Pain, discrimination and vibration sensations were evaluated. All patients underwent 10-day-clinical drug therapy combined with kinesitherapy. The patients from the experimental group were enrolled in a 6-month-specialized kinesitherapy program, while the patients from the control group were treated according to the routine kinesitherapeutic protocol, applied only during the hospitalisation. Results: The patients from both groups had pronounced sensory deficit at the beginning of the therapy. The applied 6-month-specialized kinesitherapeutic program exhibited a positive early and late effect on the sensory symptoms of the patients with DNP, more pronounced 6 weeks after the beginning of the treatment. The conventional therapy, conducted in the control group, did not significantly affect the sensory disturbances during the first 6 weeks from the treatment, but 6 months later the sensory deficit became worse. Discussion: The long-term 6-month-specialized kinesitherapy, consistent with the current requirements for exercising physical activity in diabetics with disturbed sensibility, leads to permanent improvement of sensory deficit in patients with DNP.