The kidneys play an important role in filtering blood, eliminating waste and excess water, regulating blood pressure, balancing electrolytes and supporting red blood cell production. Therefore, maintaining healthy kidneys is essential.
For patients with chronic kidney disease, regular exercise can help restore kidney function, reduce the risk of dialysis and prevent dangerous complications such as cardiovascular disease or stroke. Research from Tohoku University Hospital (Japan) also shows that the effectiveness of physical therapy can be equivalent to drug treatment.
Conversely, a sedentary lifestyle will cause kidney function to decline more rapidly. Patients should maintain walking at least 4,000 steps a day, each time for 20-30 minutes with moderate intensity, enough for light breathing. Stretching while exercising helps improve blood circulation, increase oxygen and nutrient supply to the kidneys, and reduce pressure on this organ.
In addition to preventing muscle atrophy, exercise also does not increase blood pressure excessively, so it is suitable for people with underlying diseases. A 60-year-old patient with kidney failure once applied short daily exercises such as walking with tools for 1 minute. After 6 weeks of perseverance, this person's kidney function improved significantly, avoiding having to have an artificial blood filter.
