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"Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded." - Goethe

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Mini-Biking (Cycling)

Does your dialysis clinic have a mini-bike to use during your treatment? My clinic has a small white mini-bike that is basically a wheel, pedals, resistance knob, and an electronic device to measure distance, speed, etc. It is portable and can be pulled up to my chair for use during dialysis.

It is a great way to start your treatment and get some exercise in while you are stuck there anyway. Doctors recommend that you do it at the beginning of your dialysis session, they also say it helps to keep your blood pressure even if yours tends to drop at the end of dialysis. I usually do it for 15 to 30 minutes at the beginning of each session. But you can do it for anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.

If your clinic does not have a mini-bike, you can talk to your social worker about how to go about getting one. Some clinics write grants for a bike. Other ones, the patients help fundraise in order to purchase one. Some cheaper models can cost as little as $60.

Check out this article about one patient and his dialysis center biking challenge: Dialysis patients improve energy, treatment through cycling

While biking on your own can be rewarding in and of itself, it can also be fun to challenge your fellow dialysis patients to a friendly competition. Pick a destination nearby in your state, keep track of your miles over a period of one to three months, and see who can "get to the destination" first. This can be easily done by keeping a log in a binder in your dialysis unit. (and have a prizes for the participants!)

Here is an example of a mini-bike on amazon.com: Mini-Cycle

If it fits in your budget, you might even consider getting one for your home!

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