Kidney stones are deposits of minerals inside the kidneys. Kidney stones can range from a few millimeters to a couple of centimeters and can cause no symptoms to severe symptoms including back pain, pain during urination and even passing of blood during urination.
There are several types of kidney stones depending on what minerals are involved in the formation of the stones. Visit our TYPES OF KIDNEY STONES to read more on the types of kidney stones and to learn about their formation.
When you visit your urologist and if you are someone who actively works out, you may have the question “Can I continue my exercises when I am diagnosed with kidney stones?” or “What exercises can I do after being diagnosed with kidney stones?”.
Here is what Dr. Karthik Gunasekaran, a famous urologist from The Kidney Stones Clinic, Chennai has said. “There is no hard and fast rule about working out after being diagnosed with kidney stones. All you need to do is, listen to your body and understand what’s happening. You will know whether to work out and if so, what exercises are helping you.”
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Drink lots of water. Drink even more.
The most common suggestion for anyone, especially those who have kidney stones is to drink plenty of fluids. Drinking more water and fluids can help dissolve kidney stone-forming material and also can help flush out smaller kidney stones easily from the kidneys bladder or ureters.
When you are working out actively, you need to consume more water than normal because your body will need more.
Understand what your body is saying
If your body doesn’t have a problem while you are working out i.e, it doesn’t hurt you anywhere and if you are comfortable working out, you must continue to do so. If any of the exercises are causing any pain in your lower back or abdominal area, you need to take note and avoid those exercises. Usually, brisk walking or yoga always helps.
Check the side effects of your medication
If you are diagnosed with kidney stones and are taking prescription medicines, check with your urologist on the possible side effects of the medication and also if they can interfere with your daily routine including working out.
Usually exercises help in expelling out kidney stones
The movements stretch and bends made during exercising can actually help in expelling out the kidneys. In addition, if you consume more water before and after working out, that too can make it easier to pass the kidney stones out of your body.
In case you are not able to work out due to pain, try jogging or brisk walk or yoga after speaking with your urologist.
Conclusion
If you are diagnosed with small kidney stones, you may be able to continue with your workout routine unless your doctor advises you against it. Follow your prescription and continue having more water. Most importantly you need to know the type of stones you are having and you must strictly follow the diet to include or exclude any foods that can boost the growth of kidney stones. For questions related to kidney stones, please leave a comment. For an appointment with Chennai’s leading urologists, please contact us or call us at +91 90928 49786.
