Heavy, tiring steps may be related to kidney function
Kidney failure is a disease that seriously affects health and quality of life. When kidney function declines, the body loses the ability to excrete waste, excess water and regulate electrolytes. These disorders not only affect metabolism and blood pressure but also affect the circulatory system, muscles - bones - joints, thereby changing sensation and gait when moving.
According to the US National Kidney Association, in the early stages of kidney disease, many people find it more difficult to walk than before. Instead of a feeling of light movement, patients may feel heavy steps, just walking a short distance becomes abnormally tired or short of breath.
This condition is not simply muscle pain after exercise but a feeling of whole-body weakness, as if energy has been drained. Patients may be accompanied by prolonged sluggishness, reduced concentration or memory decline.
Dr. David Goldfarb - a kidney disease expert at Grossman School of Medicine at the University of New York (USA) said that when the kidneys function poorly, waste and excess fluid accumulate in the body, disrupting electrolyte and blood pressure balance. This causes the circulatory system to work harder, reducing the efficiency of oxygen supply to muscles when moving.
Leg edema causes difficulty walking
Another sign that may appear when walking is leg edema. When the kidneys do not effectively excrete excess water, fluid tends to accumulate in the body, especially in the lower extremities due to the impact of gravity.
Patients may notice swollen feet, ankles, or calves larger than normal, accompanied by a feeling of tension and weakness when moving. The edema is usually more obvious at the end of the day or after standing or sitting for a long time and may decrease when resting. However, if the cause is kidney failure, this phenomenon may recur many times and become more and more obvious.
In addition to retaining water, kidney disease can also cause the body to lose protein through urine. Protein plays a role in maintaining osmotic pressure in the blood. When the amount of protein decreases, water easily drains out of the lumen and seeps into interstitial tissue, making the edema in the legs more obvious.
Experts recommend that small changes such as heavy steps, rapid fatigue or leg swelling are not always due to kidney failure, but should not be taken lightly if they appear for a long time. Early examination and necessary tests help detect the disease promptly, while protecting kidney function for a long time.
