INTRODUCTION: A sedentary lifestyle has a negative impact on functional capacity being closely linked to cardiovascular mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD). In this population, an exercise training program has been associated several benefits. However, only a few dialysis units have adopted this program. The aim of this study was to describe a five year's experience of intradialytic exercise training, focused on adherence and safety of the procedure. METHODS: The sample included adult patients of both genders who joined an exercise training program during HD sessions between August 2004 and August 2009. The training was done during the first two hours of HD sessions by using a stationary bicycle and consisted of warm-up, aerobic exercise and cool-down. Descriptive analyses of data collected throughout the five years of the program were done. RESULTS: In five years, 34 patients (48.26 ± 11.44 years, 20 women) participated in the exercise training program completing 3077 individual sessions of exercise. The mean time of training was 15.65 ± 13.86 months and the adherence was of 64.87 ± 19.47%. Despite a few episodes of hypotension without significant hemodynamic repercussion we did not observe any major complications during the study. CONCLUSION: A program of exercise training during HD sessions is well accepted by the patients, is safe and not associated with serious complications.
Exercise; Kidney failure chronic; Renal dialysis
