Just 3 minutes of calf raises can lower your blood sugar after a meal? Doctor shares the truth

If you are inactive after a meal, make sure you manage blood sugar by incorporating light, seated movements. Know how they help.

Blood sugar rises after a meal. It is a concern for many people, and generally, walking is recommended to help bring it down. But not everyone has the liberty of time or space to go on an active walk after every meal. This is where simple movement, right at the desk, comes in handy.

Dr Kunal Sood, MD, anesthesiology (pain medicine), who often shares insights related to health and wellness on Instagram, on a July 12 post, shared how calf raises can help with blood sugar control after a meal.

Seated calf raise helps to manage blood sugar

He quoted one study from 2021, which delved into the benefits of seated calf raises or a soleus pushup in maintaining blood sugar.

Dr Sood said, “It's normal for blood sugar to rise after a meal, but even light movement can help bring it down. In one study, adults with obesity performed seated calf raises or a soleus pushup for 2.5 minutes every 5 minutes over a three-hour period. This simple repeated movement significantly lowered both blood glucose and insulin levels, compared to sitting still."

Further describing how the calf movement has a connection to blood sugar, he added, “The benefit comes from activating the soleus muscle, which is a deep calf muscle that uses glucose continuously even without intense movement or insulin spikes.” Here, as per Dr Sood, the soleus muscle gets activated when you move your calf, functioning for glucose-burning. This is useful for people who are at desk-bound jobs, indicating how even light movements can help counteract some of the negative effects of prolonged sitting, like post-meal blood sugar spikes.

Not a replacement for exercise or diet

This activity is a helpful add-on, not the go-to solution for all. Commonly, whenever something is found to be helpful, people wonder if it could replace other habits. But Dr Sood addressed this and reminded that regular exercise and a balanced diet are essential for long-term blood sugar control. He added, “This is not a replacement for exercise or diet, but when done consistently, it (seated calf raise) could support better blood sugar control, especially during long periods of sitting.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.