ABSTRACT
100 patients suffering from adult non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus for a duration varying between one year and 15 years were included study. 35 age and sex matched controls not suffering from diabetes were also included in the study. The mobility score recommended by Campbell et al. [1985] was used to assess joint restriction in both groups. The diabetics were divided into 2 groups; group A [patients with joint restriction] and group B [patients without joint restriction]. 48% [48/109] of the diabetics had joint restriction while 8.57% [3/35] of the control group had joint restriction. The mobility score was significantly poorer in the diabetics than in patients of control group [P < 0.05]. The mobility score was poorer in patients who had diabetes for more than 10 years [P < 0.0001], 25% [12/48] of diabetics with joint restriction and all of them had diabetes for more than 10 years. The incidence of intake of insulin in group A patients [diabetics with joint restriction] was 87, 80% while its incidence in group B patients [diabetics without joint restriction] was 61.5% while is statistically significant [P < 0.001]. The incidence of micro-vascular disease of eyes and kidneys in group A was 43.75% while its incidence in group B was 22% which is statistically significant [P < 0.02]. The incidence of neuropathy in group A was 33.33% while its incidence in group B was 11.53% which is statistically significant [P < 0.001]. The incidence of tight waxy skin over proximal phalanges was 60.4% in group A while its incidence in group B was 1r90.2% which is statistically significant [P < 0.0001]