Insulin Injection Sites: Rotating Your Injection Sites
If you inject insulin three or more times a day then it’s a good idea to rotate your injection sites. Injecting in the same place much of the time can cause hard lumps or extra fat deposits to develop. These lumps are not only unsightly; they can also change the way insulin is absorbed, making it more difficult to keep your blood glucose on target.
Follow these two rules for proper site rotation:
- Same general location at the same time each day.
- Rotate within each injection site.
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| Injection site rotation is important for both insulin syringe and pen users. |
Same Time, Same General Location
Insulin is absorbed at different speeds depending on where you inject, so it's best to consistently use the same part of the body for each of your daily injections. For example, do not inject your lunch bolus dose in the abdomen on Monday and in the thigh on Tuesday. If you have picked the thigh for your evening injection, then continue to use the thigh for all of your evening injections. According to Eli Lilly, the leading manufacturer of insulin, most insulin enters the blood:
- Fastest from the abdomen (stomach)
- A little slower from the arms
- Even slower from the legs
- Slowest from the buttocks
On the other hand, your supper or bedtime dose of long-acting insulin could be injected into the thigh, buttocks, or upper arm. That's because you want the long-acting insulin to take effect gradually and cover your needs throughout the night.
If you mix two types of insulin in one shot, you can inject into the abdomen, arm, thigh, or buttocks.
Rotate Within an Injection Site
To avoid developing hard lumps and fat deposits, it is important to inject in different spots within a general part of the body.- Change sides within an area. For example, if you inject your evening insulin in the thigh, try using the right thigh one evening, and the left thigh the next evening.
- You might find it useful to picture the face of a clock on your abdomen. That helps you to keep each of your injections at least one finger’s width from the last injection.
Let’s say that you inject four times a day, and all of the injections are in your abdomen. Look down at your abdomen and picture “Noon” below your belly button. Place your first injection at Noon, your second injection at 1 o’clock, the third injection at 2 o’clock, and the fourth injection at 3 o’clock. You will not come back to the “Noon” spot again until day 4, which gives that spot a chance to rest.
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