How Does Kidney Disease Affect a Workout Routine?
Having chronic kidney disease can affect virtually every aspect of your life, and this includes your workout routine. Research has repeatedly shown that exercising is one of the best things a person with kidney disease can do to protect their overall health as it can help you to manage the various other health issues that come along with the disease. The only problem is that kidney disease also tends to make people suffer from other issues that can affect their ability to workout, such as weakness, shortness of breath, lack of energy and muscle or joint pain. Therefore, it is essential that you understand exactly how kidney disease can affect your workout routine and that you follow these basic tips to ensure you get the full benefits exercise can provide without putting yourself at risk.
Choose Appropriate Exercises
The decreased exercise ability that accompanies later-stage kidney cancer leads many patients to suffer various cardiovascular issues. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in patients with chronic kidney cancer, which is why it is so important to begin an appropriate exercise regime early on. This means making sure to exercise three to five times a week for at least 30 minutes each time. In addition, it’s important to focus on aerobic exercises such as biking, jogging or swimming as these will help to strengthen your heart and lungs. As well, you should consider doing at least occasional strength training to help keep your muscles strong and prevent joint pain.
Focus on Balance and Flexibility
Weakness and the various other conditions that can occur as a result of kidney disease puts individuals at an increased risk of injuries and falls. Therefore, it is also vital that you focus some of your exercise time on improving your balance and flexibility. Just a few minutes of balance exercises a couple of times a week can go a long way toward preventing falls. Similarly, improving your flexibility can provide increased mobility and also prevent muscle tension and stiffness that could lead to pain or injury.
Make Sure to Start Slow
Your kidney disease may eventually make it to where you can no longer workout in the same way you once did, which is why it’s always important to talk with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. The fact is that, no matter what you do, kidney disease will always weaken your body. For this reason, it is essential that you make sure to start each session slow to get your heart, lungs, and muscles warmed up and ready before you dive into the more vigorous part of the routine. Furthermore, you should also low your exercise down gradually with a cool-down period instead of simply ending your routine abruptly since this could cause you to feel dizzy, lightheaded, or nauseous.
Make Sure You Stay Hydrated
Depending on the stage of your kidney disease, it may be necessary to replace some of the fluids you sweated out during your exercise. This is why it’s also important to discuss everything with your renal dietician as they may want to monitor your fluid intake and urine production more closely to help ensure that you stay hydrated. Should you find yourself suddenly feeling lightheaded or dehydrated, it is important to contact your doctor immediately. In some cases, they may simply instruct you to drink more, but in more serious cases, they may need to administer fluids to you through a smart IV pumpor other intravenous method. To avoid this, you should also take steps to ensure you don’t sweat too much. This means wearing less clothing, not working out during the hottest parts of the day and making sure not to push yourself too hard.The fact that exercise can provide so many benefits to people with kidney disease means it is definitely something you need to be doing. At the same time, you need to make sure that you’re doing it smartly and not putting your body under any added stress. Therefore, it is vital that you discuss your exercise plans with your doctor and understand exactly
