Effectiveness of intra-dialytic stretching exercise on reducing muscle cramps among hemodialysis patients at sri manakula vinayagar medical college and hospital, Puducherry

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is an important non communicable diseases epidemic that affects the world population including India. The prevalence of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is raising throughout the developed and developing countries mainly due to Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension. Among the Hemodialysis patients one of the most common complications is Muscle Cramps. It can occur anywhere in the body, but common in calf muscles, feet, toes, thigh and abdomen. In pre-test 27 (38.5%) of them had moderate level of muscle cramps and 43 (61.4%) of them had severe level of muscle cramps during Hemodialysis. In post-test, out of 70 samples 05 (07.1) had no episodes of muscle cramps, 28 (39.9%) of them had mild level of muscle cramps, 37 (52.8%) of them had moderate level of muscle cramps. This study implies that the Intra Dialytic Stretching Exercise is an effective intervention to reduce muscle cramps during Hemodialysis among Hemodialysis patients.