If you have kidney disease, there's no reason to give up -- and good reasons to start -- exercising. With a few simple precautions, you can enjoy a home exercise routine that includes vigorous workouts. You should check with your doctor, however, before launching a program.
Suitable Types of Home Exercise
Exercises you can safely include in your home program include: exercises that involve continuous activity such as walking, bicycling, swimming, skiing and aerobic exercise; exercises that require you to move large muscle groups; and lifting light weights with high repetitions. Yoga is also a good choice because it helps lower blood pressure, often elevated in people with kidney disease, and may be easier than aerobic exercise for some, according to Dr. Dan Rutherford, who writes about health issues for London's The Sunday Telegraph.
Precautions
Whatever form of exercise you choose, start slowly and build up gradually. In general, you should aim to exercise for 30 minutes three times a week, but it's okay to walk for up to an hour if you feel comfortable doing do, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Discontinue your routine earlier if you experience any of the following: shortness of breath, fatigue, rapid or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, nausea, leg cramps or dizziness.
When to Discontinue Exercise Program
According to the National Kidney Foundation, you should not exercise at all if any of these conditions apply: you have changed your dialysis schedule; you have changed your medicine schedule; you have overeaten; your physical condition has changed; you have a fever; you have joint or bone problems that worsen; or the weather is hot and humid and you cannot exercise in an indoor, air-conditioned environment. If you have discontinued exercise for any of these reasons, consult your physician before resuming your program.
Benefits
Persons with kidney disease frequently suffer from high blood pressure, and this, in turn, can worsen the disease. Regular exercise can break this unhealthy circle as well as provide these additional benefits: improve strength and mobility, often jeopardized by kidney disease; relieve depression, a common condition among persons with kidney disease; boost blood circulation, a key to good heart health; maintain bone and muscle strength; lower your weight and cholesterol; and boost your self-esteem.
References
- National Kidney Foundation: Staying Fit With Kidney Disease
- The Sunday Telegraph; Life Coach: Our Experts Answer Your Questions; Tony Gallagher, Dan Rutherford, Sara Stanner and James Le Fanu; March 28, 2010
