Fitness Together - Ft. Myers, Florida

Kidney Disease and Exercise 

LouAnn Good

Our bodies are miraculous machines. They desire and work behind the scenes to be in a state of wellness. We are designed to overcome attacks from the outside, such as viruses, and heal ourselves when injured.

But our bodies often need help and operate best when we put ourselves in conditions that facilitate healing.  Being physically active keeps the body strong, flexible and better prepared to handle stress and illness.

All people with kidney disease, both early and late, can benefit from a fitness program. It’s important to understand that those of us with kidney disease can be as active as people without kidney disease. This is about much more than just having the ability to exercise with kidney disease. We all want to feel better and get the most enjoyment possible out of our lives and physical activity can improve the quality of life for people with kidney disease both physically and mentally. Having a chronic condition like kidney disease can put a strain on our bodies and challenge us emotionally. A lack of physical activity can lead to weaker muscles, poor activity tolerance and can give us a body that is more susceptible to illness.

In addition to increased energy, other benefits from exercise may include such things as: improved muscle functioning, better blood pressure, improved muscle strength, lowered level of blood fats, better sleep, and better control of body weight. So even if you have not exercised in the past, anyone can benefit from starting a fitness program. Fitness training by those with kidney disease has been shown to improve exercise capacity by 20-25%.

Nearly all of the risk factors for heart disease are present in people with kidney disease. Obviously being involved with a fitness program helps our bodies on many fronts. Besides building lean muscles and improving overall fitness, an exercise program strengthens the most important muscle in our body: our heart. Keeping our bodies active and conditioned burns calories and helps keep our weight in control, lowers blood pressure, increases HDL and lowers LDL, and helps our bodies to use insulin better.

Also, those of us with kidney problems have a good chance of developing bone loss that can lead to orthopedic injuries. Increasing our fitness level strengthens our muscles which can decrease our risk of falls and the fractures and the complications that often come with them.

And don’t forget the stress that comes with any chronic disease. Anyone who has worries knows that they feel better after a good walk in the open air! Exercise and activity is our best defense against stress and worry.

So what type of exercise program is best for you? Your doctor is probably the best source of advice for you. He or she can evaluate your cardio-vascular condition, look at the impact of any medications that you may be taking, and recommend to you the level of activity that would be best for you.

Any well-designed fitness program, regardless of the level that may be the most appropriate for you, should include:

• An aerobic workout
• Resistance training
• Flexibility and stretching

The most important thing to remember is that exercise and activity is key to making the most of whatever health challenges we have in our lives. Don’t give up and remember that we, as individuals, have choices as to how we deal with life’s challenges. Sometimes the best answers are the simplest, get up and get out!