Original Paper

Twelve Weeks of Exercise TrainingIncreases Muscle Function and Walking Capacity in Elderly Predialysis Patients and Healthy Subjects
S. Heiwe^a, A. Tollbäck^a, N. Clyne^b

Departments of
^aPhysiotherapy and
^bNephrology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

Address of Corresponding Author

Nephron 2001;88:48-56 (DOI: 10.1159/000045959)

  Key Words

• Exercise training
• Elderly
• Uraemia
• Muscle function
• Walking capacity
• Predialysis, elderly
• Quality of life

  Abstract

Muscle function declines with age and progressive uraemia. We examined whether elderly predialysis patients could improve thigh muscle function, walking capacity, and functional mobility to the same extent as elderly healthy subjects when participating in 12 weeks of individual muscle endurance exercises for the thigh as well as in a low-intensive group programme. The uraemic exercise and comparison groups comprised 16 patients (age 76 ± 7 years, glomerular filtration rate 18 ± 5 ml/min) and 9 patients (age 72 ± 6 years, glomerular filtration rate 16 ± 5 ml/min), respectively. The healthy exercise and comparison groups comprised 18 subjects (age 75 ± 7 years) and 5 subjects (age 79 ± 4 years), respectively. Muscular strength, dynamic endurance, walking capacity, and functional mobility increased significantly in both the uraemic and the healthy exercise groups after 12 weeks of regular muscle endurance exercise training, whereas there was no significant change in static muscle endurance and quality of life in either group. None of the values changed for the uraemic comparison group nor the healthy comparison group during the observation period. Elderly predialysis patients had lower muscle function and mobility as compared with elderly healthy subjects, but were able to improve both after 12 weeks of exercise training to the same extent as elderly healthy subjects.

Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Susanne Heiwe
Department of Physiotherapy
Karolinska Hospital
S-171 76 Stockholm (Sweden)
Tel. +46 8 51771683, Fax +46 8 51774453, E-Mail Susanne.Heiwe@.ks.se

  Article Information

Accepted: June 15, 2000
Number of Print Pages : 9
Number of Figures : 5, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 66