Intradialytic Resistance and Flexibility Exercise in Hemodialysis Patients

January 28, 2026 updated by: Dilek GİBYELİ GENEK

Effects of Intradialytic Resistance and Flexibility Exercises on Clinical Outcomes in Hemodialysis Patients: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This study examined whether different types of exercise performed during hemodialysis sessions affect patients' health and quality of life. Patients receiving regular hemodialysis were assigned to resistance exercise, flexibility exercise, or usual care during dialysis. Changes in health-related outcomes were evaluated before and after the exercise period.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This single-center pilot study was conducted to explore the effects of exercise performed during hemodialysis on patients' health. Adult patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis participated in one of three groups: resistance exercise, flexibility exercise, or usual care without exercise. The exercise programs were carried out during routine dialysis sessions under supervision.

Patients' clinical measurements and self-reported health outcomes were assessed at the start of the study and again after completion of the exercise period. The study was carried out between December 2020 and April 2021 following approval by the institutional ethics committee.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

49

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Muğla
      • Muğla, Muğla, Turkey (Türkiye), 48000
        • Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Training and Research Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged 18 years or older
  • Receiving maintenance hemodialysis for at least 3 months
  • Stable clinical condition
  • Ability to participate in exercise during hemodialysis sessions
  • Provided written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Acute illness or unstable cardiovascular disease
  • Severe musculoskeletal or neurological conditions limiting exercise
  • Recent hospitalization
  • Cognitive impairment preventing cooperation
  • Participation in another structured exercise program

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Resistance Exercise
Participants performed supervised resistance exercise during routine hemodialysis sessions. Exercises were conducted three times per week during the first two hours of dialysis over the study period.
Behavioral: Resistance Exercise
A structured resistance exercise program performed during routine hemodialysis sessions under supervision.
Experimental: Flexibility Exercise
Participants performed supervised flexibility and stretching exercises during routine hemodialysis sessions. Exercises were conducted three times per week during the first two hours of dialysis over the study period.
Behavioral: Flexibility Exercise
A structured flexibility and stretching exercise program performed during routine hemodialysis sessions under supervision.
No Intervention: Usual Care (Control)
Participants received usual hemodialysis care without any structured exercise program during dialysis sessions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in dialysis adequacy assessed by Kt/V (urea)
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in dialysis adequacy measured by single-pool Kt/V (urea).
From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in dialysis adequacy assessed by urea reduction ratio (URR)
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in dialysis adequacy measured by urea reduction ratio (URR), expressed as a percentage
From baseline to 12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health-Related Quality of Life score
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 weeks

Change in health-related quality of life assessed using the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), a validated 36-item questionnaire.

SF-36 domain scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life.
From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in Beck Depression Inventory score
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in depressive symptoms assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Scores range from 0 to 63, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in body mass index (BMI)
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in body mass index (BMI), calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m^2). Higher BMI indicates greater body mass relative to height.
From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in fat tissue index (FTI)
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in fat tissue index (FTI) assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), calculated from fat tissue mass (FTM) normalized to height squared (kg/m^2).
From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in lean tissue index (LTI)
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in lean tissue index (LTI) assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), calculated from lean tissue mass normalized to height squared (kg/m^2).
From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in physical function assessed by the 6-minute walk test (6MWT)
Time Frame: From baseline to 12 weeks
Change in physical function assessed using the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), measured as the total distance walked in meters.
From baseline to 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Dilek GİBYELİ GENEK

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Dilek Gibyeli Genek, MD, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Faculty of Medicine

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 1, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 1, 2021

Study Completion (Actual)

April 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 22, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 28, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 28, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HD-EX-2020

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

There is no plan to share individual participant data from this study.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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