Lifestyle

There is no one best kind of exercise. The key is to find an activity that is comfortable for you and you enjoy doing. Generally, PKD patients can do any activity they want unless they get blood in the urine or it causes back, flank, or abdominal pain. The exercises that are least jarring to the kidneys include walking, swimming, and biking.

Be sure to talk with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen, as they may have guidance about what will be most effective for you or what to avoid. Remember, always stay well hydrated when exercising, and do your best to be active on a regular basis.

In general, most sports don’t affect kidney function. With the unique nature of PKD, where kidneys are enlarged and cysts can rupture, there are some simple precautions to take and issues to consider. Contact sports where the kidneys may be traumatized (flank/side or lower back impact) should either be avoided or protective pads should be worn. Examples of these types of sports include football, rugby, basketball, hockey, and particularly boxing or kickboxing. Horseback riding and cross-country biking are other sports with repetitive impact that could potentially cause issues with your kidneys. There’s no evidence that these activities worsen renal function, but they can result in pain and/or blood appearing in the urine.

There is no information to support limiting physical activity in any child simply because they have ADPKD. It’s possible that children with large kidneys and/or large cysts may have more episodes of blood in the urine if they play contact sports such as football. However, each child should be evaluated by a doctor on an individual basis.