Can Soleus Pushup Help Diabetes? Let's Look At The Research and My Opinion

A recent study was published in iscience that looked at the effects of soleus pushups on various aspects of health, particularly metabolic control. Some noteworthy facts from the research are that soleus muscles derive energy primarily from glucose and fat -- not stored muscle glycogen.
Numerous sources have been circulating on social media recommending diabetes patients do soleus pushups after eating big meals and expecting blood sugar to drop.
Therefore I wanted to provide an explanation of the research behind it, discuss the study findings and give my professional opinion on soleus pushups: should people be doing them or not?
Research Paper That Was Discussed In This Video:
Hamilton MT, Hamilton DG, Zderic TW. A potent physiological method to magnify and sustain soleus oxidative metabolism improves glucose and lipid regulation. iScience. 2022 Aug 5;25(9):104869. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104869. PMID: 36034224; PMCID: PMC9404652.
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About me:
Dr. Srikanth Nithyanandam, a Primary Care Sports Medicine doctor practicing in the United States. I serve various roles as a clinician, such as a hospitalist, outpatient clinician, team physician, and medical director for Exercise Physiology Lab.
My mission of creating of this channel is to help people understand the importance of being active and help people who are physically inactive to undertake physical activity and for people who already enjoy physical activity, to help them remain stay active by addressing barriers for exercise.
I completed my medical school from PSGIMSR, Coimbatore, India. I did a Masters in exercise Physiology at the University of Kentucky. I then went to complete residency in Family Medicine, Fellowship in Academic Medicine and finally a Fellowship in Sports Medicine. I am currently pursuing a fellowship in Integrative Medicine through University of Arizona.
Social Media:
Instagram: / sports.exercisemedicin...
Website: srikanthnithyanandammd.com/
Disclaimer
My content reflects my own opinion and does not represent the views or opinions of my employers or hospital systems I am affiliated with. They are meant for educational purposes only. They do not substitute for the medical advice of a physician. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding your health.

[@jc1865]

For those of us stuck at desk jobs this is something to consider.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Totally agree

[@bashirbetker]

Appreciate this informative and useful video.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you.

[@RollTimeratYT]

This seems like an exercise you could train yourself to do if you work at a desk job for hours and need some movement to counteract the inactivity. I wouldn't think it would work as one's sole form of exercise or activity. It is still beneficial to get up and move around for a few minutes every half hour or hour. The soleus pushup is just one more thing to add to your arsenal of tools to benefit your health.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Well said. Completely agree

[@markchester1192]

So it is interesting that I did this for a minute or two while working after watching a video and realized almost a 10 point drop. As a result I must question your knowledge and comprehension.

[@arasmanisha]

Very well explained

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you

[@masterkutai]

This is easy to test. Eat the same meals, and test your blood sugar afterward, with and without the exercise and anything else you want to compare it with (eg. House chores) This works for me, been testing it few times. The only problem is the soreness that you might have if you don’t do it properly.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Great to hear. If you want to share numbers that would be great

[@randyblanton5580]

Very informative. Thanks.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Glad it was helpful!

[@krishnakd1980]

Well explained, Tx

[@ronaldruiz3333]

Thanks For This exercise

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

You are welcome

[@enjoy7024]

I like your scientific approach.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you.

[@suzanneb6608]

Thank you for this. This sounds helpful after a meal on a long flight or train when I can't just take a walk like I usually do to help with my blood sugar.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Perfect. Please Share your experience after few months

[@user-jt1ui3nm7z]

This is great! Thank you, Dr.Nithyanandam; I'll share this will all my metabolically challenged clients. (I'm a nutritionist specializing in metabolic syndrome & the Modern Mediterranean diet.)

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you. Love your work. We need more professionals like you to help with the metabolic syndrome pandemic.

[@hariharasudan1390]

Really it’s a great info DOC. You made it crystal clear that this alone will not create any wonders to lower the blood sugar level.. 👍🏼

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you

[@jaykumarjain6569]

Thanks Dr. Very nicely and methodically explained.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you. Glad it was helpful

[@craiglowden5995]

It would be very interesting for someone on a continuous glucose monitor to conduct an informal check and get back to us with there results!

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

I agree.

[@anitavarma8877]

Very thorough explanation. V grateful .

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you

[@DIDYOUSEETHAT172]

My blood sugar 6.7, had a blueberry / avocado smoothie, whey powder, cocoa, grass fed milk, to take migraine meds, lay in the dark. I did Soleus Pushups for 10 min, before laying down, blood sugar goes up after 2 hrs. Especially if doing nothing. I expected the reading to be 8 or so waking up after a couple hours, it actually went down to 6.4.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Sorry I am not able to understand. Did blood sugar go down??

[@DIDYOUSEETHAT172]

@@srikanthnithyanandammd Yes down.

[@angelinegeorge275]

Thank u for this video n demo Im going to move about more after my meals instead of sitting down. I hope this exercise helps me . Thank u

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

You are welcome

[@alkemiebala]

I like the way you explained it without getting carried away saying it as a miracle cure or ground breaking invention. I gather that it is good than doing nothing. Good.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you.

[@idrishghasura5295]

Super sir

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you.

[@daviddavirgi6889]

Marching in place for 20 minutes works great for me!

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Awesome. That’s a good exercise

[@ksojoel]

The is a book called "The Rocking Chair Exercise Book" in which the author mention it was common to see people at the porch of a house and the ones who were sitting on a rocking chair tented to be more fit than the ones sitting on the floor. The author mentioned it could be explained because while rocking in this kind of chairs the were various muscles used like the core and others. Looking at the soleus movement explained in this video seems like the same movement made for impulse and make the chair rock and could also explain in part what the author of the book claims.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

That’s interesting. I have to look into that book.

[@varushar]

Doc, great info.. need one suggestion, how much minimum walk is recommended after a meal? And at what pace? Should the heart beat zone be in cardio?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you. Here is a video that will answer your question about walking after meals Is Sitting Causing High Blood Sugar After Meals? Understanding Postprandial Hyperglycemia kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4q9p4uBoZqel7M

[@binadeen9078]

This exercise was done originally with a little board(2-3 inches high to isolate soleus muscles

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you for your input. Can you explain this further?

[@dtr1347]

Doctor,How much duration at a stretch needed to get ample benefits

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

So far, based on the study, around 45min to see a difference. However, if you are sitting and you want to do this exercise, something is better than nothing, in my opinion.

[@samskarebyaha]

Was this tried with some other excercise? What is to say that another exercise under the same conditions cannot bring similar results?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Great question. So far I am not aware of any. I am sure there will be studies comparing other exercises with soleus push-ups. It might be ongoing.

[@prasanthr7633]

Dr. Sir, Just to check so v r good to do this exercise for diabetes control ?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

In summary, I would recommend this exercise to help control blood glucose spike after a meal provided a person is not able to do light exercise after a meal. This does not replace your daily exercise which is at least a minimum of 30min of brisk walking daily. This exercise can be beneficial if you have a sedentary job and cannot do light exercise after meal. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4q9p4uBoZqel7M

[@shahfoodvlogs6011]

Sir watch your vedio I do this exercise I feel my diabetes low down can you tell me which time better this exercise or can everytime do exercise

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

I usually would recommend this exercise if there is not an option to be active. This exercise should not replace activity, in my opinion. With that said, think about your daily life. If you force to spend most of your time sedentary, those are all excellent times to perform this exercise.

[@swapanbakshi3648]

How one can do continuously for 3 hours? There are so many indoor/outdoor activities to be done everyday.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Which is why I don't recommend this even though the studies have shown positive benefit as you will find in this video. However if a person has other limitations that they cannot perform any other exercise, this can be helpful for them

[@akshaygaming7513]

When can do this excercise to lower blood sugar sir

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

The only time I would recommend doing this exercise is when you cannot be active after eating. Otherwise I would recommend patients to go for even a casual walk after eating instead of doing this exercise as in my opinion, whole body exercise is far more superior than just soleus pushups.

[@mikep5287]

Will stair climbing also activate this muscle similar to soleus pushup? The knee is at a bent position when running up stairs so I imaging it activates this muscle better than running on a flat surface

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

yes, for sure, but the research was solely focussed on soleus. with stair climbing and other exercise, we activate a lot of other muscles too.

[@satyajitkelkar]

Hello Doctor is desk mini bike helpful for blood sugar control ? if I do a work out for 1 hr to 90 mins . will it help my blood sugar to go down ?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

100% are you planning to incorporate that at your work?

[@satyajitkelkar]

@@srikanthnithyanandammd Last yr I was doing a work out of 90 mins, and my hba1c shoed 5.5 , but since there is no sweating and raise in heart beat I thought its just coincidence. U dont get feel that u r exercising but some how it is working I think.

[@1gamz]

Doing it standing can give you the same or better results?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

It would be hard to recruit only the soleus when you are standing. But when you are standing anddoing an activity, in my opinion, that is far more superior than just doing soleus pushups. We have to see soleus pushups are ways to decrease sugar spikes if you are sedentary and not to replace your daily activity.

[@syedaslam2856]

My only concern is will this help in lowering the sugar level atleast a bit

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Research indicates that there are numerous positive effects of exercise. However, when it comes to preventing heart disease in individuals with diabetes, a focus on fitness is crucial. Instead of placing emphasis on just this exercise, it is recommended to prioritize aerobic exercise in order to enhance fitness levels. Therefore, aerobic exercise should be the primary focus.

[@malikkhan10023]

Hi, what should be the duration of exercise? If a person take meal and glucose level rises upto 200 then how much time we should give exercise for lowering glucose level

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

It depends on person to person. Usually a 20-30min moderate intensity exercise should suffice. However it depends on many factors on whether the exercise can your bring the blood sugar all the way back to normal even though exercise is always helpful to burn the sugar in your body. One of the main factors would be the carbohydrate load of the meal and the amount of fat content in the meal as people can have multiple spike with high carb and fat meal like pizza. Doing a 20-30min of moderate intensity exercise should always be helpful inspite of whether it would bring your blood sugar all the way back to normal. Here are a few videos that might help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4q9p4uBoZqel7M kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXm9iKOPjpKIrrs

[@akshaygaming7513]

After eating how long I can walk to lower sugar kindly say

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Keep a sustainable routine. I would recommend a minimum 10min of brisk walking if you could sustain that. If you can, then do a 30min walk

[@akshaygaming7513]

After eating if i walk how much glucose level is reducing

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

It depends on each individual. But you are improving insulin sensitivity. If you do this everyday, your average blood sugar would be low

[@animallover3904]

Hello Doctor, do we do this exercise immediately after consuming food i.e. lunch /dinner or should it be done after a gap of 30-40 min, so that food is digested?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

If it is soleus push-ups you can do right away. However if you are planning to do low intensity exercise like walking or so, give it like 10min before you do it. Again it all depends on the food quantity

[@aminuddinparker4902]

Will it permanently cure the Diabetics within couples of months or for indefinitely we have to keep continued....?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

This exercise won’t cure diabetes. Person with type 2 diabetes can lower their medicine or sometime even discontinue medications with healthy eating and exercise kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqGYgYytbcyEq7s

[@haseebmirza9177]

Sir. Can I soleus pushups while watching tv or mobile like in a comfortably sitting back rest position ?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

For sure. But however as you can see from research, to see Benefits one has to do this for a long time. Instead I would recommend cutting back on sitting time as much as possible

[@haseebmirza9177]

@@srikanthnithyanandammd ok thanks.

[@haseebmirza9177]

@@srikanthnithyanandammd ok thanks.

[@christinejackson8542]

My morning b.s. was 136. After 20 mins. Of this my sugar went up to 143. I did another 20 mins. And it was 141. I hadnt eaten either.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Are you concerned that your sugar didn’t drop?

[@aartijoshi5341]

Can you please do the same video in Hindi language

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Appreciate your request. Unfortunately I won’t be able to do it in a different language currently. Sorry about that

[@sonjah1913]

I am curious if sitting in a rocking chair and pushing off would be as beneficial. The main benefit is that it is easier to remember to do. Remembering is so difficult. I am sure this could be answered by someone with a continuous blood sugar monitor.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

That’s an interesting thought. First I would try to do the Rocking for 1hr and see if it is doable. If you are able to do it with ease then chances are you are using the soleus muscle predominantly. Then you can be your own control and see if that makes a difference in your blood sugar. You can check your blood sugar every 30min to see if you notice a drop in your blood sugar significantly when compared to sitting alone.

[@mauvefleur4901]

Thank you Dr for this advise.

[@enlightenyoursoul6894]

Can we say by operating sewing machine by legs this exercise happens automatically

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Probably not based on how your knee might be angled. But still your soleus will be involved and you will be getting benefits.

[@search4answers849]

What is happening, my blood sugar is going up by 20 points most of the time....not going down?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Please explain this further on what you are doing and how you are checking the sugars

[@akshaygaming7513]

After meal when to start walk to lower blood sugar

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Would usually recommend within 30min after meal but atleast 1hr before meal.

[@akshaygaming7513]

How much glucose level is reducing sir

[@MsAnna4040]

Do this 3 hours? Without stopping??

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

The research was conducted in the manner described. However, as I explained in the video, engaging in this particular exercise may not be worthwhile. Instead, it is advisable to participate in activities that involve the entire body for a duration of 20-30 minutes, as they can offer numerous benefits.

[@dave2716]

Tha No you brother❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

You are welcome

[@HulkSmash315]

People with continuous glucose monitor can test this in real time to see if it works.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Yes. But accuracy is still questionable with cgm alone. But yes definitely the trend can be seen

[@PikesCore24]

Thanks for the video, but the music doesn't add anything. If anything this cheezy music distracts me from what you are saying.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank You for the suggestion

[@a.f.s.3004]

There is a machine called the “seated calf raise” that every gym in America has. On the gym machine, you can add resistance by adding weight. This will be far more effective than doing body weight movements.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

It would be very hard to recruit only the soleus with a seated calf raise machine like that. You can still make sure by creating a knee bent and to focus targeting the soleus muscles but once you add resistance then you are targeting your gastroc more. This exercise is not to build calf muscles but rather use this fatigue resistant muscle to help with glucose spike. Hope that clears the confusion.

[@WMtheWM]

That would not be more effective or efficient.

[@sandeepsalvi5524]

Sir are feedback daibetis pationt

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Sorry your question is not clear

[@mreudeco]

Muzzle

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Thank you

[@Saracen101]

What would be interesting is what the effect would be of doing let’s say standing calf raises after ingesting that glucose. Yes it would recruit the gastroc and that’s the point. How does gastroc recruitment compare to soleus. There was a Japanese study a few years ago that cshowed only climbing 240 steps on a staircase after dinner significantly reduced blood sugar. So similarly Can doing 100 or 500 standing calf raises have the same effect instead of doing 3 hours of soleus? I can’t think of anyone who will do 3 hours of soleus xpush ups regularly. What do you say doc about the differences in the exercises ?

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Great question. This is very preliminary research and it cannot be said confidently that soleus pushups are superior to other exercises. There needs to be future studies to compare the effects. However can serve as a good exercise for disabled people and even those recovering from illness or injuries. For now, I recommend doing an exercise involving large muscle groups and not replacing that with soleus pushups. Soleus pushups should be considered an option only if someone cannot do any other activity. Again this is a personal opinion as a practicing doctor. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4q9p4uBoZqel7M

[@aaziz41]

How possible to do this exercise for continuously three hours….any athlete only can do ….

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

This was a research study and based on that study, people did for 3 hrs and they were non athletes. However this is not a must to do exercise like I have mentioned in my video . I would stick with our usual recommendations of exercise.

[@khushdilkhan5590]

He is totally wrong…Insulin resistance is cause for diabetes….To do away with insulin resistance there are only two ways….is prolong fasting at least 14 hours and also exercise.During exercise muscles utilise glucose without insulin….The bigger the muscles the more glucose is utilised…so more important are thigh muscles which are much bigger than soleous muscle…….so that it is the walk or running etc which can lower glucose more effectively than weaker soleous muscle……During walk there is drop of one mg sugar in one minute…..Soleous can’t do this.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Please listen to this video again. I never mentioned soleus exercise was the best exercise.

[@noneofurbizness1271]

Too long get to the point.

[@srikanthnithyanandammd]

Appreciate your feedback