Exercise benefits after kidney transplant

The two bean-shaped organs called kidneys are fist-size filters located below your rib cage and in the area near your middle back. The kidneys filter blood and remove waste, including urine, from your body. Kidney failure, which is often caused by diabetes or high blood pressure, requires dialysis to do the work of the failed kidneys, or else a kidney transplant from a healthy donor. A kidney transplant is a serious operation that lasts about three hours and requires a lengthy recovery period after hospitalization. Post-surgery exercise is recommended to help with the recovery process and to maintain physical and mental fitness.

● Exercise Benefits

　　You should resume normal activities as soon as you are able following transplant surgery, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The medications that most kidney transplant patients take to suppress the immune system and prevent rejection of the donor organ might cause high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Regular exercise, performed under your doctor’s supervision, can help decrease your risk for these medical conditions and improve your overall mental and physical health, including reduction of body fat and improved circulation, breathing, muscle tone, bone strength and joint flexibility.

Regular exercise has many benefits. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, can:

● Improve your circulation and help the body use oxygen better

● Build energy levels so you can do more activities without becoming tired or short of breath

● Strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system

● Increase endurance

● Lower blood pressure

● Improve muscle tone and strength; improve balance and joint flexibility

● Strengthen bones

● Help reduce body fat and help you reach a healthy weight

● Help reduce stress, tension, anxiety, and depression

● Boost self-image and self-esteem; make you look fit and feel healthy

● Improve sleep

● Make you feel more relaxed and rested

● Always check with your health care provider first before starting an exercise program. Your health care provider can help you find a program that matches your level of fitness and physical condition.