Sports Med 2005; 35 (6): 485-499

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485 1. Aerobic Exercise Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486 2. Resistance Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489 3. Combined Resistance and Aerobic Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490 4. Risks of Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491 5. Exercise Participation by Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492 6. Healthcare Provider Involvement in Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493 7. What Can the Literature Tell Us About the Optimal Exercise Programme? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494 8. Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495 9. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497 Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are inactive and have reduced Abstract physical functioning and performance. Aerobic exercise interventions have been shown to increase maximal oxygen consumption in selected patients. In addition, preliminary evidence, although mixed, suggests that aerobic exercise training can improve blood pressure control, lipid profiles and mental health in this population. A few larger studies are now available showing that aerobic training can also improve physical functioning and performance. The impact on survival or hospitalisation has not been determined. Resistance exercise training, although less studied, appears to increase muscle strength and size and may also improve functioning. There have been several reports of successful combined exercise interventions, but the designs have not allowed evaluation of the relative benefits of aerobic and resistance training on physical functioning. Despite the evidence that exercise is safe and beneficial in patients with CKD, dialysis patients remain inactive, and exercise assessment, counselling and training is not widely offered to