By Peggy Byrne, PT, and Larisa Stephenson, MS

It is not a secret that daily exercise is important. The media is constantly stressing the health benefits it provides. If you are diagnosed with kidney disease, it is even more important to maintain your overall physical and mental health through proper diet and exercise.

If you have kidney disease, do not be reluctant to begin an exercise program even though you deal with chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, anemia and high risk of cardiovascular disease. These symptoms provide an even better reason to start exercising to reduce physical side effects, as well as uplift you mentally and socially. However, be sure to talk with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

The first step is getting started. Walking is a simple and beneficial form of exercise without the hassle of a gym membership, buying equipment, etc. All you need is you and your walking shoes! Walking lowers blood pressure, which improves heart function. Your heart is a muscle. Like any other muscle in your body, it becomes stronger the more you exercise it. This allows the heart to work more efficiently with pumping blood throughout the body, thereby putting less strain on the heart and surrounding vessels. Over time, you will notice this when walking up stairs gets easier, getting out of a chair is less taxing, and performing other daily activities (showering, dressing, cleaning, etc.) come as less of a challenge.

Often, people with kidney disease have poor protein intake. When you increase daily activities with walking, your appetite will increase. Walking will also help regulate insulin levels, thereby helping decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Exercise can aid you mentally by boosting your self-confidence and enhancing your overall mood. It stimulates the “feel good” hormones in our bodies. Exercise has proven to reduce feelings of depression. The old expression “runner’s high” can be achieved at any level of exercise, especially for those just starting an exercise program. Overall, walking will help you take control of your health.

Exercising can be a social activity. I am sure you have all seen a senior citizen speed walking in the mall while you are walking around with your shopping bags. Having a conversation while you walk is a great method to increase and achieve your target heart rate. A great conversation will also help you share your concerns, good news or problems. Talking and walking your emotions out can be a tremendous stress reliever. Most of your time may be spent at doctor’s visits, dialysis treatments or something related to kidney disease. Hence, it may be refreshing to channel your energy away from your disease and toward living a healthier life.

You do not have to set new world records in walking – if your shoes catch on fire, you are going too fast. Start with five to 10 minutes of walking, one to two times per day, instead of trying to cram it all in one session. You may also find it less mentally taxing because you can achieve more benefits in smaller increments of time. Be patient with yourself and marvel the small steps in your walking instead of getting frustrated with yourself. Most importantly, contact your physician before starting any form of exercise, including walking, and keep him or her updated on all that you do. Good luck!

Peggy Byrne, PT, is a physical therapist with AthletiCo Rehabilitation, Fitness and Performance in Chicago.

Larisa Stephenson, MS, is a Performance Enhancement Specialist with AthletiCo (click here).

This article originally appeared in the May 2005 issue of aakpRENALIFE, Vol. 20, No. 6.

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