Swimming and water sports with your CGM sensor

Engaging in water activities is great, yet it presents unique challenges for those using Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) solutions. This article covers swimming with diabetes and tips and tricks for managing your CGM sensor while swimming or partaking in water sports.

Swimming can help lower blood sugar by making the body more sensitive to insulin and helping muscles use sugar for energy.¹ Since swimming works many muscle groups at once, it pulls more sugar from the blood during activity.

Studies show that regular aerobic exercise, like swimming, can improve many health markers. It can help lower total cholesterol, LDL (“bad” cholesterol), triglycerides, blood sugar, blood pressure, body fat, and body weight, while also raising HDL ("good" cholesterol).¹ 

Swimming mainly uses aerobic energy, which means the body burns both fat and carbohydrates for fuel.² This type of exercise supports healthy metabolism and overall well-being.^2-3 Research also links regular swimming to fewer joint and muscle problems,⁴ and improvements in mood, sleep, anxiety, and stress.^5-6 It’s also a low-impact way to stay active, burn energy, and support healthy glucose levels without putting too much stress on the joints.^2-4

Having stable or higher glucose values before swimming helps you prepare for hypos while in the water. Aerobic exercises, such as swimming, jogging, walking, and cycling, typically cause low blood glucose levels during and after exercise.¹

The Accu-Chek SmartGuide sensor is water-resistant up to 1 hour and 1 meter depth, allowing you to wear it while swimming or participating in water sports. But it’s very important to ensure that the adhesive part remains secure on your skin.

Adjust glucose levels

Before swimming, adjust your glucose levels by reducing short-acting insulin or consuming additional carbohydrates. 

Glucose measurement

Measure glucose before starting. Talk to your healthcare team about what a suitable starting glucose level is and ensure a steady or rising CGM trend. If you don't swim regularly, check your glucose levels after 15-20 minutes.

Water temperature adjustment

Adjust insulin doses based on the water temperature. Cold water increases energy consumption, affecting your insulin needs.

Post-swimming insulin adjustments

After swimming, check for low blood sugar levels, and adjust insulin doses accordingly, as exercising can affect glucose levels.

Before starting any exercise, ensure your CGM solution is applied correctly. 

• Use sports tape: Secure the sensor with sports tape (e.g., Kinesiology tapes). Round off the tape corners to prevent wear and tear.
   
• Replacement: If the sensor moves, replace it with a new one. Avoid applying skincare products like sunscreen or insect repellent on the sensor, as these can damage the product.

Protecting your devices

Bluetooth® connectivity may not work well underwater. To keep your smartphone with you, use a waterproof phone case that allows radio transmission. 

This content is provided for general information only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely – you must obtain professional or specialist advice from your healthcare professional before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content. Although we make reasonable efforts to ensure that the content is up to date, Roche makes no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content is accurate, complete, up-to-date or that it should be relied upon.