Acute Glycemic and Hemodynamic Responses to Single- and Multi-Joint Resistance Exercises in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Randomized Crossover Study

Introduction: There is a lack of knowledge regarding the acute glycemic and blood pressure responses to resistance exercises that involve different amounts of muscle mass. Objective: To analyze the acute effects of single- and multi-joint resistance exercises on glycemic control and blood pressure in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: This is a pilot randomized crossover trial, including adults with T2DM of both genders. The participants performed three sessions (two experimental sessions: one with single-joint exercises (SIN) and the other with multi-joint exercises (MULTI); and a control session (CON)) in a randomized order, with outcomes being evaluated pre-exercise, immediately, 15 and 30 min after the sessions. Both sessions consisted of five exercises performed in three sets of 10 to 12 maximum repetitions. Analyses were performed by generalized estimation equations. Results: Fifteen adults (including eleven women) participated in this study. Both experimental sessions showed glycemic reductions immediately after the sessions (MULTI: −17 mg/dL; SIN: −29 mg/dL; p < 0.001), and these values were kept similar up to 30 min after the session. The control session presented a glycemic reduction immediately after the session (−18 mg/dL), which increased 15 min later (−29 mg/dL), stabilizing up to 30 min after the session. Systolic blood pressure was increased immediately after both experimental sessions, retuning to baseline values 15 min post-session. Diastolic blood pressure increased in the control session with time, without any alterations in the experimental sessions. Conclusions: Similar glycemic reductions were found in the experimental sessions, without superiority over the control session. Minimal changes were found in blood pressure.