Beneficial Effect of Physical Activity in Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

Hemodialysis patients are significantly less active than healthy, sedentary individuals and a low intrinsic motivation has been identified as a major barrier to prescribing exercise. Regular physical activity is associated with enhanced health and well being. World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that regular physical activity is widely recognized as a mean of preventing the occurrence of many chronic diseases and reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Physical activity during illness results in improvement in physical function. Physical activity helps dialysis patients to improve their well-being. The association of decreasing levels of leisure-time physical activity with increased mortality risk is less certain in ESRD patients than in the general population. Studies have shown that hemodialysis patients physically being active had efficient clearance of urea during dialysis compared to physically inactive patients. Yoga and exercise in hemodialysis patient increases the quality of life through reduced stress level. In our country there is lack of awareness of potential benefits of physical activity in hemodialysis patients and there are no facilities available in in-centre hemodialysis centre to implicate the exercise programe during dialysis compared to Western hemodialysis centres. So there is the great need to impart the knowledge among the patients to obtain the complete standard of living with daily physical activity during on and off dialysis days.