The same college for 32 years thanks to intense sports: aerobic exercise should be one of the main points of rehabilitation

Aris Jan van Ek has lived with a “new” college for 32 years. At that time, the average life span of the transplanted organ was five years. Van Eyck attributes the long time to a good game and a bit of luck, but according to him, the importance of training shouldn’t be underestimated either.

The 59-year-old Van Eyck says doctors don’t care much or don’t care about the importance of sport. The transplant took place in 1988, but not much has changed in the past three decades, he says. Despite scientific studies that show that adequate exercise can extend the life of a donor organ. Van Eyck: “It has become more evident in recent years, for example at UMC Groningen, but it is slowly spreading. I will make an attempt at UMC Utrecht to raise awareness of its importance.”

Because he directly tested the importance of the exercise. During the first nine years after planting, Van Eyck did not move much. Father of three children from IJsselstein in Utrecht was busy with his work and family and not playing sports. “Kidney patients visit the outpatient clinic regularly after transplantation, but for most transplant recipients, there is no rehabilitation process. That would be good for stimulating exercise. It should be one of their main points. ”

World planting games

Van Eyck was silent, which led to the necessary side effects of his medication. His muscle strength decreased. “If I had known this was happening earlier, I would have moved in earlier to keep my muscles working properly. After nine years, it was much less, because I wasn’t exercising at a high level.”

It was only when Van Eyck read about the 1996 World Games of Organ Transplantation, the World Cup for People with a Stem Cell or Organ Transplant, that he decided to do more. Join the IJsselstein swimming club and prepare for games at the Sports and Transplantation Foundation. “In Sydney, we swam in the Olympic pool, so cool. You see the same people there, and that’s a big incentive.”

Van Eyck has now participated in the games six times and expanded his activity to include running. The combination led to a triathlon in 2014. It’s here Now convinced he could have run a half triathlon and a full marathon had he started exercising faster after a transplant. “If I now compare myself to other transplant recipients who started right away, I see that their level is many times higher.”

By the way, getting to the next level isn’t the most important thing in a workout, according to Van Eyck. “It is more to slow the physical decline. And it prolongs the life of the donor organ.” After 32 years, his kidneys are nearing an end. He can get a new one. Does not depend on the waiting list; His wife or children can donate a kidney.

Read also:

We are getting fatter and so are our livers, which is a problem for transplant physicians

Lifestyle diseases increase the demand for new livers and at the same time make donor livers unsuitable for transplantation. Scientists are looking for ways to reduce the percentage of this liver.

See also  look. De Bruyne and Ibrahimovic see the replay of the “Fight of the Year” ending in the first round with a brutal kick to the head | More sports

Amber Webster

 "Freelance zombie fanatic. Devoted web advocate. Analyst. Writer. Coffee fanatic. Travelaholic. Proud food aficionado."

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *