Effects of Daily Walking Exercise on Chronic Hemodialysis Outpatients

Abstract

In this study, forty-one hemodialysis outpatients performed a daily walking exercise. For this exercise, patients were instructed to walk beyond a daily target number of steps for three consecutive weeks. The target number of steps was defined as 120% of the average number of steps per day prior to the exercise. The effects of this exercise were examined by comparing the six-minute walking distance (6MD), and physiological cost index (PCI) before and after performing the exercise. The results were as follows: the target numberof steps during the exercise period was achieved by 19 of 41 patients; 6MD of target achieving patients was significantly increased by this exercise; the difference in PCI before and after this exercise was not statistically significant. This study suggests that the present exercise triggered an increase in the number of steps per day and improved the actual walking performance as measured by 6MD.