EARLY DETECTION OF SENSORY MOTOR DEFICITS IN CHRONIC DIABETICS

INTRODUCTION Diabetes is a highly prevalent condition and is the leading cause of foot ulcerations and amputation (1). There are numerous complications associated with diabetes like impaired sensation at the extremities, reduced muscle strength, impaired proprioception and kinesthetic awareness, co-ordination and balance issues which might precede amputations. Hence the purpose of this study was early detection of any sensory-motor deficits through various assessments thus preventing future complications. METHODOLOGY Post institutional ethics committee approval, this retrospective cross sectional study was conducted on 60 consenting subjects with chronic diabetes. DATA ANALYSIS & CONCLUSIONS 85 % of the study subjects reported a loss of protective sensations to completely absent sensations inthe feet. 21% showed moderate to severe and 15 % severe impairment (NDS scale). 31% subjects had motor impairments reflected as a decline in static, dynamic balance and muscle strength in the lower extremities.