Hi Adam,
When people think about CKD, the conversation typically covers labs like creatinine or eGFR. Or common nutrient concerns like protein or potassium.
But there’s another important concern that often happens with CKD that doesn’t get talked about as much: muscle loss.
Research estimates that muscle loss affects between 4% and 42% of people with CKD, and it becomes more common as kidney disease progresses (doi:10.3390/ijms23116047).
The encouraging part is that movement plays an important role in protecting muscle health. This allows you to stay active through the years, maintain or even improve quality of life, and avoid hospitalizations.
Guidelines often suggest aiming for 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, but this greatly depends on where you are in your overall health & fitness journey.
So, no, this doesn’t mean you need to suddenly become an athlete.
In fact, for someone struggling with chronic fatigue or limitations in mobility, movement can be as simple as:
- A short daily walk
- Light gardening
- Standing up and moving more throughout the day
- Gentle chair exercises or bed yoga
If it feels overwhelming or you’re worried about injury, it’s completely reasonable to ask your doctor about physical therapy or guided support.
We’re actually working on a blog post to help you incorporate physical activity safely and effectively (stay tuned on this!).
In the meantime, a simple question to reflect on:
How are you taking care of your muscle health today?