Exercise has a vital role to play in both the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the associated side affects of treatment. Exercise can be beneficial and safe for CKD patients in both clinical and home-based settings and can promote a wide range of benefits. Exercise during treatment has been a hot topic of study and in over 30,000 research hours, there have been 0 deaths directly related to exercise.
Benefits of Exercise for Chronic Kidney Disease
fatigue reduction
improvements in mental health
improved sleep
reduction in restless leg syndrome
reduced inflammation
lower hospitalisation rates
reduced chances of severe cramping during dialysis
reductions in dialysis session time; and
improved dialysis efficiency.
Exercise for patients receiving dialysis can yield great health benefits and is safe and effective whilst receiving treatment. This is particularly important for patients who receive dialysis treatment due to their elevated risk of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, which can be partly attributed to long sedentary periods during sessions.
What Type of Exercise Is Best?
One of the safer and less invasive exercise types that are used during sessions is cycling, which has been shown to promote significant improvements in cardiovascular fitness. Current guidelines recommend a mix between cardiovascular components (foot cycling) and resistance (usually resistance bands on the non-treatment arm only) to promote the best efficiency and safety.
Exercise and Dialysis
Exercise can increase the efficiency of dialysis treatment by increasing blood flow and releasing urea and toxins from active muscles resulting in an improved treatment efficiency. During dialysis the ideal time to initiate exercise is within the first 2 hours and after your measures have stabilised.
Providing this option for people undergoing treatment can often show improved mood, reduced mortality rate and greater overall quality of life. Exercise sessions during dialysis also provide a new stimulus to reduce the toll of long treatment sessions on clients and promote meaningful activity during treatment hours.
Our accredited exercise physiologists have the specialised knowledge in creating an exercise plan for people affected by chronic kidney disease. We also offer home visits to ensure your safety and comfort. Call us on 5456 1599 to make an appointment with one of our friendly team members. We service the Sunshine Coast and Noosa, as well as Tin Can Bay and Gympie.