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How exercise helps manage chronic kidney disease
Keeping your body active and strong is one of the smartest things you can do to help keep your disease under control. These move-more strategies will give you the best results.
Exercise does every organ in the body good, including the kidneys. If you’re like many of the more than 35 million Americans living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), it can be hard to find the time and energy to move around as much as you should. But the benefits of starting a regular exercise program are undeniable.
“It won’t only improve your general health but also how well your kidneys work,” says Daniel Rosenbaum, MPT, a home health physical therapist with Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville, Florida.
Learning more about how a regular exercise routine can help you manage your CKD symptoms is one of the healthy habits you can discuss with your Matrix Medical Network clinician during your in-home health assessment. Staying physically active can also help you improve other kidney-related conditions you may have, including high blood pressure and diabetes.
How can exercise help the kidneys?
Physical activity comes with a long list of benefits for anyone, such as controlling weight, boosting energy, and improving mood and sleep. When you add chronic kidney disease to the picture, there are even more reasons to make it a regular habit.
Kidney disease often goes hand in hand with other health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Both of those respond extremely well to exercise. Managing those conditions can help slow the progression of kidney disease too. If you have CKD and you’re not active, you’re at greater risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death, a study in the Journal of Renal Nutrition found.
Exercise also has added benefits for people who are on dialysis, a treatment that helps the body remove extra fluid and waste products from the blood when the kidneys aren’t able to. Dialysis patients often have very weak muscles. Research shows that regular exercise helps keep them stronger and improves their quality of life.
A Matrix in-home health visit is a good time to discuss healthy habits with a licensed clinician — plus, it’s part of your plan! Call 877-302-3672 877-302-3672 to schedule.
Which types of exercise are most effective for CKD?
Aerobic activities, such as walking, biking, dancing, and swimming, are the most productive way to manage CKD through exercise. Why? “Because cardiovascular exercise helps regulate blood sugar,” says Rosenbaum.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease. So, managing your blood sugar with aerobic activity can improve your kidney function too. It can also lower blood pressure. High blood pressure can put extra stress on your kidneys, which may make kidney disease worse.
Strength training is also essential. It helps you retain and build muscle, and it helps regulate blood sugar too, says Rosenbaum. “Strength training is an anaerobic activity, which means that it burns glucose (blood sugar) for fuel.”
Avoid heavy lifting, advises the National Kidney Foundation. Instead, choose body-weight exercises, such as squats and wall push-ups, or those with lighter weights.
Stretching is also a good idea, since it can improve joint and muscle movement, which may be an issue for people with CKD, he adds.
How much exercise do CKD patients need?
It’s widely accepted that people with CKD should stay active. The International Society of Nephrology recommends that all adults with CKD get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every week. A brisk walk, where you’re able to hold a conversation but not sing a song, is considered moderate intensity.
CKD patients need to take caution with intense exercise. It can make kidney disease worse, especially when it’s done in hot weather that can dehydrate you, according to one scientific study.
If you’re new to exercise, or haven’t worked out in several months, start gradually, says Rosenbaum. Try to do 5 to 15 minutes a day at first, then work your way up to 30-minute workout sessions. When and how often you exercise is up to you — some people prefer shorter daily workouts, while others like to go for longer sessions a few days apart. The National Kidney Foundation recommends that you aim for at least three workouts a week.
Rosenbaum says it’s important that your exercise program be tailored to your individual needs. Your exact fitness plan will depend on your age, overall health, and other factors, he explains. To do that, check with your doctor to make sure exercise is advisable for you, especially if you’re on dialysis. It’s often best to skip exercising on those days, since you may not feel up to it.
Once you have your doctor’s approval, seek out a fitness trainer or a physical therapist who can help you make progress. Your doctor may be able to recommend someone who specializes in working with people who have chronic conditions.
Taking steps to build a fitness routine that you enjoy and can stick with can help you feel your best and have more energy to do the things you love.
See our sources:
Number of Americans living with CKD: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dialysis and muscle strength: Clinical Kidney Journal
Exercise guidelines for CKD patients: Journal of Renal Nutrition and the International Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation
Diabetes and kidney disease: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Exercising in hot weather: Sports
