Effect of Combination of Active Stretching and Light Walking on Blood Sugar Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at Sukamerindu Health Center, Bengkulu City

Abstrak

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia caused by insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Pharmacological treatment alone is not sufficient; lifestyle modification, especially physical activity, plays a crucial role in controlling blood glucose levels. This study aimed to examine the effect of combining active stretching and light walking on blood glucose levels among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at Sukamerindu Health Center, Bengkulu City. A quasi-experimental design with pre–posttest and control group was employed. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 44 participants, divided equally into intervention (n=22) and control (n=22) groups. The intervention group performed active stretching and light walking twice a week for three weeks, while the control group received only pharmacological therapy. Blood glucose levels were measured before and after the intervention using a digital glucometer. Data were analyzed using Independent Sample T-test. Results revealed a statistically significant reduction in blood glucose levels among the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.000). This study concludes that the combination of active stretching and light walking effectively reduces blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. These findings suggest that integrating simple physical activities into diabetes management programs may serve as an effective non-pharmacological strategy to improve glycemic control.