Feasibility and Safety of Walking Football in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Condition: Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
MeSH terms: Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Our main challenge is to develop a novel physical activity intervention to promote exercise
      participation sustainability and effective health benefits in type 2 diabetes (T2D)
      population with minimum health risks. The relevance of this study is supported by four
      cornerstones: 1) The Portuguese love football and there seems to be a major potential in the
      implementation of football practice as part of the prevention and treatment of
      noncommunicable diseases for the middle-aged and elderly Portuguese population; 2) no studies
      have assessed the feasibility and safety of a walking football exercise program for
      middle-age and older patients with T2D; 3) the proposed investigation relies on robust
      methodology; 4) this intervention can have further sustainability with the enrollment of
      football clubs and primary health care units.
    

Detailed description: 
      This work will be a quasi-experimental study where we aim to test the feasibility and safety
      of walking football in patients with T2D. The recruitment of participants will be held in
      primary health care units by Family Medicine medical doctors. All participants will receive
      instructions to maintain daily-life routines (lifestyle-related physical activity and dietary
      pattern), and to continue with usual care (diabetes consultations on primary health care
      units and pharmacological regimen) along the studies duration. All participants will receive
      basic sports material (sports bag, T-shirt, and sports shoes). Participants will be organized
      in two teams of 20 players. Each team will have 60-min walking football exercise sessions
      three times per week (non-consecutive days), during three months (36 sessions). Different
      walking football exercise strategies will be developed according to participants' motor
      skills and tested with dose-escalated intensity for its safety (acute effects on capillary
      glycaemia, blood pressure, foot impact, exercise-related injuries and adverse events) and
      enjoyment. Exercise intensity will range between light to vigorous. No submaximal or maximal
      exercises will be tested. Cumulative short-term effects will also be analyzed along the three
      months through pre- and post-study evaluations. Exercise sessions will be conducted on a
      sports hall (indoor court) by a football coach and supervised by an exercise physiologist and
      a nurse.
    

Intervention name(s): Walking football exercise program
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants will be organized in two teams of 20 players. Each team will have 60-min walking football exercise sessions three times per week (non-consecutive days), during three months (36 sessions). Different walking football exercise strategies will be developed according to participants' motor skills and tested with dose-escalated intensity for its safety and enjoyment. Exercise intensity will range between light to vigorous. No submaximal or maximal exercises will be tested. Exercise sessions will be conducted on a sports hall (indoor court) by a football coach and supervised by an exercise physiologist and a nurse.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Exercise; Physical Activity; Football; Walking Football; Type 2 Diabetes; Primary Health Care; Feasibility; Safety