THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SLOWING PROGRESSION OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE - A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a substantial and growing global health dysfunction. The rising occurrence driven by aging populations and increasing rates of metabolic disorders. This disease causes kidney function to slowly get worse. In the early stages, there are often no symptoms, so it is usually diagnosed only after significant kidney damage has already happened. Current clinical and public health strategies prioritize early identification and risk reduction. Modifiable lifestyle factors - such as regular physical activity and effective weight management - play an important role in slowing disease progression and reducing the risk of end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation. This narrative review aims to investigate the relationship between physical activity and the slowing of chronic kidney disease progression in patients. This narrative review evaluates scientific literature published over the past 25 years. Relevant data were obtained from studies indexed in the PubMed and Scopus databases. Cohort studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published in English were included. Across the analyzed studies, greater engagement in physical activity was consistently linked to lower all-cause mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. Active individuals tended to report better quality of life and exhibited a more gradual reduction in kidney function compared to those with lower activity levels, which indicates that regular physical activity is associated with improved patient prognosis. Physical activity has been consistently connected to lower death rates in people with chronic kidney disease. In addition, higher levels of physical activity relate to better quality of life and a slower rate of disease progression when compared to inactive patients.