Intradialytic stretching exercises: A conservative way to reduce muscle cramps

Abstract

Background: Chronic kidney disease is a major health problem in developing and developed countries because of its increasing prevalence and incidence all over the word chronic kidney disease is a progressive and gradual loss of kidney function, which is commonly caused by diabetes and hypertension.If kidney stops working patients cannot sustain life without a kidney. Dialysis or Renal transplantation replacement therapy. Hemodialysis is one of the most common methods of dialysis. It is a therapy in which remove excess fluid and waste products or toxic substance from the blood through the dialyzer and to return a clear and filtered blood back to the patient hemodialysis must be continued intermittently for the client’s lifetime, unless successful kidney transplantation is done. A muscle cramp is one of the most common complications occurs during hemodialysis. It is a sudden, painful, involuntary contraction of the muscle. Muscle cramps occur due to the rapid removal of sodium and inaccurate fluid from the body during hemodialysis. Intradialytic stretching exercises administered during the third and fourth hour of hemodialysis because of mostly muscle cramp occur in the third and fourth hour in dialysis session. This review aimed to introduce various intradialytic stretching exercises and their advantages to improve muscle’s elasticity and muscle strength. Intradialytic stretching exercises not only improved physical function but also in improving blood circulation, depression, and quality of life. The Intradialytic stretching exercise can be given to the patients undergoing hemodialysis to prevent the muscle cramps which may the result of fluid loss during the dialysis session.