Professional dancer and influencer Rylee Arnold I has opened up about how she manages her Type 1 diabetes while performing on Dancing with the Stars . After a fan posted a TikTok video asking why her Dexcom a glucose monitoring devic was never visible during her performances, Arnold responded to explain.
“I actually have no intention of covering it ever when it comes to my costumes,” said the 20-year-old dancer. “It just so happens that it is always covered because I tend to put my Dexcoms in my lower abdomen.”
Arnold added that wearing the device on her arm isn’t ideal for her, as dancing is highly physical and she worries it could get pulled out. She typically wears her Dexcom on either side of her stomach, which is often covered by high-waisted costumes.
In a follow-up video, Arnold shared more details about managing her diabetes during rehearsals and live shows. She explained that the Dexcom G7 is the only device she wears and that she carries insulin pens with her to administer shots throughout the day.
During rehearsals, Arnold said she can monitor her blood sugar more easily because she has time to check her phone regularly. She also plans her meals before practice to help prevent her levels from getting too high. “If my blood sugar is too high or if it’s too low, it really does affect my performance,” she said.
On show days, Arnold follows a different routine. “Usually on show day, I try to eat just high protein meals and the most minimal carbs I can,” she explained. “Because just with stress and not really having the time to worry about my blood sugar, I try to eat so that it doesn’t spike my blood sugar throughout the day.”
Arnold also mentioned that each couple on Dancing with the Stars has a coordinator who assists them throughout the day. Her coordinator, Chuck, is familiar with Type 1 diabetes because someone in his family also has the condition. “He knows that I need my phone often,” Arnold said. “He carries my insulin wherever I go and just always stays in close proximity to me so that my phone can stay connected to my Dexcom to get all of my blood sugar readings.”

When asked if her blood sugar levels have ever impacted her performance schedule, Arnold said the show does not adjust the dance order. “It is a live show and the show just keeps going,” she explained. “So for me, I have gone out while being low before and it was not the best time ever, but I’ve learned how to manage it and figure that out.”Arnold also recalled one performance with her former partner Stephen Nedoroscik, during which her blood sugar was high and she experienced cramping for most of the dance.