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The 21st Meeting of the Diabetic Foot Study Group 2026
24-26 September, 2026 | Florence, Italy
EP81
Presence of Reduced Functional Independence in Patients with Prolonged Immobilisation warrants the Development and Implementation of a Tailored Exercise Plan
Poster Presenter
Part of Topic
Orthopaedic surgery
Presence of Reduced Functional Independence in Patients with Prolonged Immobilisation warrants the Development and Implementation of a Tailored Exercise Plan
Background/Aims:
Patients who undergo diabetic foot (DF) intervention often endure a period of immobilisation and reduced weight bearing. In the DF cohort, this has an impact on muscle power, weight management and functional independence.
The aim of this pilot study was to establish whether this impact could be offset with the introduction of a tailored exercise programme alongside optimal medical treatment (OMT).
Methods: - Participant:
67-year-old gentleman
T2DM, chronic leg ulcers
87.5kg with BMI of 28.25
First stage Charcot reconstruction on 27/01/26. WB for transfers only
Measurements:
Manual muscle testing (MMT)
Modified Barthel Index
Weight (kg)
HbA1c
All at 0, 3 and 5 months
Intervention:
Provision of tailored, progressive exercise programme by physiotherapist (PT)
Assessment from PT at 0, 3, 5 months with exercise progression when necessary
Results:
MMT increased by 21%
Barthel Increased by 29%
Weight decreased by 6%
HbA1c decreased by 26%
Discussion:
This pilot study suggests a tailored exercise programme may help mitigate the effects of prolonged immobilisation following DF intervention. These findings are consistent with existing evidence showing that exercise can improve muscle quality, strength, mobility, metabolic health, and functional performance in people with diabetes. Given the recognised relationship between diabetes, muscle loss, and declining function (Fig 1), early PT intervention may be of benefit to this cohort.
Limitations:
Small sample size (N=1)
No qualitative measure
No control
Participant 2 became ineligible
Conclusions:
Tailored exercise programme alongside OMT can improve outcomes in immobilised DF patients
More data needed across larger sample size
Likely to be an expanded role for PT in DF clinic at KCH