**7. Benefits of exercise**

Regular PE in patients with CKD is associated with a myriad of health benefits, including physiological, psychological, and functional benefits.

## **7.1 Physiological benefits**

Regular PE reduces CV mortality, hypertensive medication use, inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein); prevents muscle wasting; improves toxin removal by dialysis, exercise capacity, blood pressure control, lipid profile (increased HDL-C and reduced TG), haematocrit (prior to erythropoietin therapy), glycaemic control, serum albumin, nutritional summarise.

#### **7.2 Psychological benefits**

There is a link between regular physical activity and a better psychological profile (lower stress/anxiety/hostility/depression and increased engagement in pleasurable activities), perception of general and mental health, physical functioning, and vitality. Subjective weariness symptoms are reduced, as is the impression of physical pain, all at the same time [75–77].

#### **7.3 Functional benefits**

Regular physical exercise improves muscle strength, 6-minute walk distance, gait speed, sit-to-stand time, balance (which reduces the chance of falling), independence, and HRQoL [75–77].
