Introduction:
Living with kidney disease presents unique challenges, but amidst the journey of managing this condition, there’s a powerful ally often overlooked: exercise. While it might seem counterintuitive to engage in physical activity when facing health issues, research and medical experts alike emphasize the profound benefits of staying active for kidney disease patients. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the importance of exercise in managing kidney disease and explore how incorporating physical activity into daily life can lead to improved health outcomes and enhanced quality of life.
Understanding Kidney Disease:
Before diving into the role of exercise, let’s briefly understand kidney disease. The kidneys play a vital role in filtering waste and excess fluids from the blood, maintaining electrolyte balance, regulating blood pressure, maintaining hemoglobin level and improving bone health. When the kidneys are impaired, waste builds up in the body, leading to various complications such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease,electrolyte imbalances, pain, weakness etc.
Exercise: A Game-Changer for Kidney Health:
Contrary to common misconceptions, individuals with kidney disease can benefit greatly from regular exercise. Here’s how:
1. Managing Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is a common complication of kidney disease. Regular physical activity, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming, can help lower blood pressure levels, reducing the strain on the kidneys and decreasing the risk of further damage.
2. Improving Cardiovascular Health: Kidney disease is closely linked to cardiovascular problems. Exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves circulation, and lowers cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke in kidney disease patients.
3. Keeping Diabetes under control: As diabetes is one of the most common cause of kidney disease, controlling diabetes is most important. Exercise with dietary modification and medications is key factor.
4. Enhancing Weight Management: Obesity and excess weight can exacerbate kidney disease and its complications. Exercise, when combined with a balanced diet, promotes weight loss and helps maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI), easing the burden on the kidneys and improving overall health.
5. Boosting Mood and Mental Health: Living with a chronic illness like kidney disease can take a toll on mental well-being. Exercise releases endorphins, or “feel-good” hormones, which can alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression commonly experienced by patients, enhancing overall quality of life.6. Increasing Energy Levels: Fatigue is a common symptom of kidney disease. While it may seem counterintuitive, engaging in regular physical activity can actually increase energy levels and combat fatigue by improving stamina and overall fitness.
Incorporating Exercise into Daily Life:
Current recommendation include aerobic exercise for 30 mins on most of days of week. Studies have shown that exercise in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients improves physical performance, quality of life and cognitive function.
Tips to be remembered during exercise
o There should not be breathing discomfort or feeling of severe weakness.
o Intensity of exercise should be comfortable.
o Start with slow warm up and then increase the intensity.
o Avoid very hot timings of the day for exercise.
So, let’s lace up those sneakers, hit the pavement, and unlock the transformative power of exercise in the journey towards kidney health and overall wellness.
Dr Nikita Pawar
Nephrologist and Transplant Physician
