Exercise therapy
Both experimental and control groups accepted the intervention
of the lower extremity exercise regimen, which
mainly consisted of resistive exercise and was developed by
the United States Joslin Diabetes Center (the branch of the
Teaching and Research Institution in Harvard Medical School) These specific exercises included the strengthening of
quadriceps, balance and ankle/foot as well as kicking before
and after the strengthening exercises. The researchers typically
led the patients through these exercises. The patients
exercised for 15 minutes every day if possible and the regimen
lasted for at least six months. Each patient's condition was
observed at all times throughout the process of movement to
prevent any potential health complications.