Long-Term Benefits of Eccentric Cycling Exercise in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Exploring Long-Term Benefits of Eccentric Cycling Exercise on Physiological Responses, Exercise Capacity, and Quality of Life in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The goal of this interventional study is to evaluate the long-term benefits of eccentric (ECC) cycling exercise on physiological responses, exercise capacity, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The main questions it aims to answer are:

• What are the effects of ECC cycling compared to concentric (CON) cycling on physiological responses, exercise capacity, and QoL in patients with T2DM?
• What are the differential effects of moderate- and high-intensity ECC cycling compared to CON cycling on physiological responses, exercise capacity, and QoL in patients with T2DM?

Researchers will compare moderate- and high-intensity ECC cycling to CON cycling (conventional cycling) to see if ECC cycling can be a viable alternative or complement to existing exercise protocols for managing T2DM.

Participants will:

• Undergo pre-, mid-, and post-intervention assessment
• Perform either moderate- or high-intensity ECC cycling or moderate intensity CON cycling according to group randomisation by the researcher.
• Start with two familiarisation sessions prior to the actual cycling training.
• Perform cycling exercise twice per week for 10 weeks.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male diagnosed with T2DM
• Age 30 - 60 years old
• Height ≥155cm (To ensure proper ergonomics, comfort and safety during cycling)
• HbA1C level between 6-8%
• No resistance exercise for ≤ 3 months before participating in the current study.
• Physical inactivity (moderate to vigorous exercise ≤60 minutes weekly based on International Physical Activity Questionnaires-Short Form (IPAQ-SF))

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acute illness or any foot ulcer, diabetic ulcer, retinopathy, kidney, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, or neurological disorder that could impair exercise performance or pose a risk to participants during exercise.
• Insulin injection