Gestational diabetes is increasing globally with the rise in obesity and type II diabetes 1. Gestational diabe-tes is also intensifying among the Pakistani population. Although no significant data regarding the preva-lence of GDM is available in Pakistan, one of the reports suggested approximately 6.5% GDM incidence 2. This imposed a huge economic burden as the treatment approaches are costly and jeopardizing maternal and fetal health.
In this situation where the conventional approaches of treatment are beyond the means of general popula-tion, alternate management approaches like general exercises strategies, walking, cycling, yoga and aquatic physical therapy could turn out to be beneficial in terms of cost effectiveness.
Generally, females with no such obstetric problem are encouraged to perform exercises during pregnancy; the mode of aquatic physical therapy is likewise another important strategy that could turn out to be benefi-cial for women with gestational diabetes along with additional benefits of alleviating maternal stress, decreases edema, back pain and controlling blood pressure 3-4.
It is therefore by the virtue of your prestigious Journal, I would like to draw your kind attention towards the concept of Aquatic Physical Therapy management strategy for gestational diabetic patient as in Pakistan very few Physical Therapy setups are providing hydrotherapy services which are limited for patients other than Gynae Rehab as the studies of its effectiveness are insufficient.
Hence, taking it as an obligation I entreated that emphasis should be given towards more extensive research on aquatic based exercises therapies at Gynae Rehab to bridge the gap in literature and more insight on the question of aquatic physical therapy effectiveness could be answered.
Mubarra Rao
Student MPhil in Physical Therapy
Ziauddin College of Rehabilitation Sciences
Ziauddin University
- Veeraswamy S, Vijayam B, Gupta VK, Kapur A. Gestational diabetes: the public health relevance and approach. Diabetes Res ClinPract. 2012; 97:350–358.
- Fatima SS, Rehman R, Alam F, Madhani S, Chaudhry B, Khan TA. Gestational diabetes mellitus and the predisposing factors. J Pak Med Assoc. 2017 ;67(2):261-5.
- Barakat R, Cordero Y, Coteron J, Luaces M, Montejo R: Exercise duringpregnancy improves maternal glucose screen at 24–28 weeks: arandomised controlled trial. Br J Sports Med. 2012; 46:656–661.
- Barros MC, Lopes MAB, Francisco RPV, et al. Resistance exercise and glycemic control in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2010; 203:556.