Are you on dialysis and want to be active, but are not sure which sports are right for you? In this article we discuss important information about sports and dialysis.
Did you enjoy sports before you started dialysis? Would you like to continue doing so during your treatment, but are not quite sure what to consider when it comes to dialysis and sports? Or maybe you've recently made a resolution to live a more active and healthier life. The following considerations may help you a bit in finding the right sport for an active lifestyle with dialysis.
Why is exercise especially beneficial for people on dialysis?
Regular exercise generally plays an essential role when it comes to maintaining good health. There are many reasons for this:
Sports make you fitter and more efficient
For people on dialysis, sport is of particular relevance. But why is that? Due to impaired kidney function and the resulting reduced breakdown of metabolic products, performance naturally decreases. Through regular exercise you can actively counteract this and thus help your body to improve its fitness and performance.
By staying active and exercising regularly, you gain muscle strength and improve your coordination. Strong muscles strengthen and support your bones and musculoskeletal system. At the same time, you improve the absorption of oxygen from the blood into your body cells, so that you don't feel tired so quickly and can supply your body with the best possible energy. Your vessels and organs are thus optimally supplied with oxygen. In addition to improving your cardiac performance, you can also lower your blood pressure and thus your need for blood pressure medication.
Sport has a positive effect on your mental health
As you've probably heard many times, your physical health and your emotional health are closely linked. Sports or regular physical activity can be an outlet for stress. Specifically, this means that exercise can help you regulate and better manage stress. However, stress can be better regulated not only through sports, but also through sleep. Interestingly, physical activity can also help you improve the quality of your sleep. Sleep helps you recharge your batteries for the next day.
Sweating relaxes your drinking restrictions
Exercise also has another nice side effect: physical activity often causes you to sweat more. Sweating causes you to lose fluids, which you can then take in through drinks or meals, in addition to your normal daily drinking amount. Drinking, as we know, can be one of the biggest challenges for many with kidney failure. People who are active in sports or who go to the sauna often feel that the drinking restriction tends to be easier for them to manage. They simply sweat more and can therefore consume more fluids via beverages.
That's all great news, right? The only question that remains is how you can best get started with sports and which sports are best suited for you. Let's take a look at this topic.
How can I start improving my fitness?
First and foremost, it's important that you don't overextend yourself. No one expects you to completely change your exercise habits overnight. Start slowly and increase gradually. You can also increase your fitness through short walks or regular, short episodes of physical activity. For example, skip the elevator and take the stairs, or leave the car for shorter distances and do your errands on foot. Even many small steps ultimately lead to health progress and a more active life.
Which sports go well with dialysis?
Not much of a sports fan, but want to start with a healthy amount of exercise? Below you will also find a short list of different sports activities that may be suitable for you as a person on dialysis:
- Walking, Nordic walking in nature - Nordic walking involves taking trips into nature while walking with two walking sticks. These take the strain off your body. You move at the same time directly in the fresh air!
- Going for a walk - Especially when the weather is nice, it is even more fun. However, the body can also tank up on valuable energy and vitamin D when it's overcast or drizzling.
- Cycling - Cycling keeps you moving and allows you to choose your personal intensity level. Even paths without inclines keep your circulation fit! Cycling is also particularly easy on your joints.
- Qi Gong or Yoga for mental stability, physical flexibility and strong muscles - These two activities consider body, soul and mind as a whole. They are perfect for promoting calmness and inner balance!
- Relaxation training/mental training as an accompanying support - This is mainly about consciously tensing and relaxing certain muscles. The method can help you strengthen and relax the body at the same time.
- Cardiovascular training - In many gyms you can do specific cardiovascular training. This type of training helps you stay fit while keeping your circulation moving.
- Rehabilitation sports - You can increase your fitness through targeted rehabilitation sports. It's best to talk to your dialysis team; they may already have experience with certain providers.
- Strength training - Strengthening the leg and back muscles helps you to strengthen your body.
- Stretching exercises for neck and shoulder area
- Foot exercises - Helps prevent circulatory and nerve problems
Did you exercise before you had kidney disease and can't find your sport on the list? Don't worry, that doesn't automatically mean the sport isn't right for you. Just talk to your nephrologist and ask. Together, you will almost always find a way to remain as faithful as possible to your sport.
What about extreme sports activities during dialysis?
High performance competitive sports are generally not advisable for patients with kidney failure and dialysis treatment, as almost any sport at a high performance level represents an excessive and often unhealthy additional burden. But don't worry: if you haven't done sports for many hours a week before, we're probably talking about two different "sports worlds" here anyway.
Sport & dialysis shunt - that's no problem either!
When it comes to the topic of "fit with dialysis", it is important for people on hemodialysis to keep an eye on the shunt. The widened vascular access helps facilitate your regular blood flow while on dialysis. Worried about damaging or even injuring your shunt through physical activity? You don't have to worry about that. Your dialysis team will consistently monitor the shunt on your dialysis days. As long as you take good care of it at home, contact your dialysis team in case of skin redness or inflammation, and you can hear the clear noise of your shunt, everything should be fine.
Also, did you know. There are shunt protection bands that provide optimal protection for your shunt, especially during sports activities. These are sleeves that you can simply pull over your arm and that cover the shunt area. This is especially recommended for outdoor sports activities to protect your shunt arm from the sun and contaminants.
For more physical sports, you should also take special care to protect your shunt from impact, shock, pressure, constriction, or external injury.
Sports & Peritoneal Dialysis
If you're doing PD, you should avoid intense sports activity when your abdominal cavity is filled with dialysis solution. The reason is obvious: playing sports with a full abdomen can be very uncomfortable. Always make sure to avoid too high intensities and loads, as these can cause your potassium levels to rise significantly during and after exercise.
Exercise with dialysis and diabetes & other secondary diseases
Do you have other health problems that could have an additional impact on your physical activity? If so, it's best to talk with your treating physician and dialysis team. This is best done before you start your workout. For example, if you have diabetes, you should always keep an extra eye on your blood sugar levels, as they can drop during physical activity.
Since each person is individual, you should always talk to your dialysis team and or your treating physician before you start exercising or if you are unsure. They know your exact case and can answer your questions specifically.
