INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a physical therapy program in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) during hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: Fifty-six CKD patients participated for 16 months in a supervised physical therapy program in HD sessions. They underwent evaluation before the start of the program and 16 months after this training. The program consisted of muscle strengthening exercises, stretching and stationary exercise bike. The analysis is composed of test six-minute walk (6MWT), level of effort by the BORG scale test of one repetition maximum (1RM) to measure the quadriceps strength, quality of life (QOL) and arterial blood pressure (BP), heart (HR) and respiratory (RR). RESULTS: The results showed an increase in distance traveled for the 6MWT and quadriceps strength, reduction of HR and RR and improvement in total score SF-36, but significantly in functional capacity and pain BP reduced, though not significantly. It was found by the Spearman correlation test, only in the areas correralation pain and functional capacity, individually, with the increase in distance walked in 6MWT; correlation between decreases in HR and RR linked to reduction in the Borg scale. CONCLUSION: Physical therapy, through an exercise program during the intradialytic period, can provided a significant improvement of QOL and physical ability of patients with CKD.
dialysis; kidney failure; chronic; physical therapy (specialty); quality of life
