The exercise-during-hemodialysis program: report on a pilot study

Dialysis saves lives. However, dialysis alone cannot make those lives active and meaningful. Exercise, in particular, is critical in the rehabilitation of many individuals with chronic renal insufficiency The purpose of this pilot study was to: 1) examine changes in participants' physical capacity and quality of life with the intervention of a 12-week exercise program; 2) investigate whether erythropoietin (EPO) and antihypertensive medication dosages were reduced in the participants; 3) examine the feasibility of incorporating exercise into the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) hemodialysis program. A quasi-experimental one-group pre- and post-test design was utilized. Eight subjects completed the 12-week study. The exercise program involved a warm-up, stretching, strengthening, and cardiovascular training. The results demonstrated improvements in the participants'physical capacity, quality of life, and ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). There were no discernable trends in the participants' hemoglobin levels or EPO dosages. Although there were no statistically significant changes in participants' blood pressures, five out of the six participants who began the program on antihypertensive medications either had the dosages decreased or the drug(s) discontinued. Data from this small prospective study supports previous research that an exercise during dialysis program is safe and has the potential to result in positive patient outcomes.