Effect of Diabetic Foot Exercises on Foot Sensitivity in Elderly People with Diabetes Mellitus in Magelang Regency

Abstract

The increasing population of people with diabetes mellitus has an impact on increasing the incidence of diabetic foot ulcers as a chronic complication of diabetes mellitus, as many as 15-25% of people with diabetes mellitus will experience diabetic foot ulcers (Riskesdas, 2023). Diabetic foot exercises are activities or exercises performed by people with diabetes mellitus to prevent wounds and help improve blood circulation in the feet. Objective: to determine the effect of diabetic foot exercises on foot sensitivity in elderly with diabetes mellitus in Magelang Regency. Method: quasi-experimental pre and post-test with control group. The sample was 62 respondents in the intervention group and 62 respondents in the control group, with a proportional random sampling technique. Results: the difference in the level of foot sensitivity, before and after being given foot exercises, in the intervention group p-value = 0.00, while in the control group p-value = 0.083; the difference in foot sensitivity after being given diabetic foot exercises between the intervention group and the control group p-value = 0.02. Conclusion: there is an effect of diabetic foot exercises on foot sensitivity. Suggestion: it is necessary to develop an effective health promotion model to manage diabetes mellitus.