Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are subject to progressive reduction in muscle strength. However, the effect of T2DM and its duration on muscle endurance is not clear yet. OBJECTIVE: An assessment of force and endurance in short-and long-term diabetes during an isokinetic exercise. METHODS: The peak torqueof knee flexion and extension was recorded for each cycle of 40 isokinetic repetitions of knee flexion/extension at a velocity of 150 degrees/s. Fifty subjects participated in the study, 18 of whom were diagnosed with diabetes for less than 10 years, 12 subjects with 10 or more years of T2DM and 20 matched healthy control subjects (HC). RESULTS: The endurance index (EI) and the slope of the knee flexor PT curve indicated that patients with long-term T2DM were significantly more resistant to fatigue in comparison to those with short-term T2DM and even to HC subjects. CONCLUSION: Long-term diabetes may cause some muscular adaptation to maintain knee flexor muscle performance during intensive short-term activity.