Vol. 11, Issue 4, Part F (2025)

Aim: The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Intradialytic Stretching Exercise on Muscle Cramps And Fatigue Among Haemodialysis patients in selected hospitals, Bengaluru.

Materials and Methods: The research approach adapted for this study was Quantitative experimental approach - Quasi experimental pre-test and post-test control group research design to achieve the aims and objectives of the study which consisted of 60 haemodialysis patient. In order to collect the data, The cramp questionnaire chart (developed by Basemath. S.S. Morris)and Fatigue assessment scale (developed by Helen J Michielsen) to assess the level of muscle cramps among haemodialysis patients and the level of fatigue among haemodialysis patients. Statistical methods used in the study for the analysis to obtained data were descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The mean score level of muscle cramp and fatigue in between the pre test and post test of control group were more or less same with its mild variations. In experimental group prior to the intervention, 12(40%) samples were having severe muscle cramps and 18(60%) of the samples were having moderate cramps. However, after conducting post test the number of samples got reduced to mild cramps 8(26.7%), moderate cramps 2(6.6%) and 20(66.7%) samples did not experience cramps. Also, majority 14 (46.7%) of the samples experience fatigue moderately, 10 (33.3%) experience severe level of fatigue and 6 (20%) had very extreme level of fatigue. However, after conducting post test 11 (36.7%) had experience no fatigue while, majority 19 (63.3%) of the samples had mild level of fatigue.

In experimental group, the overall mean score level of muscle cramps and fatigue were reduced than the pre test mean score. The paired‘t’ value for level of muscle cramp was t29 = 23.724 and level of fatigue was t29 = 29.358. The result of independent ‘t’ test for level of muscle cramp was t58 = 31.02 and level of fatigue was t58 = 10.86 at 0.05 level revealed that there is significant reduction in the level of muscle cramps and fatigue after administering intradialytic stretching exercise.

The chi-square analysis revealed that there is a significant association between post-test level of muscle cramp and the demographic variables of age (x2=21.13), exercise performs at home (x2=17.68) were found to be significant at 0.05 level. Whereas, there is no significant association between the post test level of muscle cramp and the demographic variables of gender, education, occupation, associated illness, duration of illness, duration of hemodialysis treatment, frequency of dialysis per week, cramps occur during hemodialysis, muscle involved in cramps, location of muscle cramps. It also revealed that that there is a significant association between post-test level of fatigue and the demographic variables of age (x2=21.06), occupation (x2=30.83), location of muscle cramps (x2=22.14), and exercise performs at home (x2=20.26) were found to be significant at 0.05 level. Whereas, there is no significant association between the post test level of fatigue and the demographic variables of gender, education, associated illness, duration of illness, duration of hemodialysis treatment, frequency of dialysis per week, cramps occur during hemodialysis, muscle involved in cramps

Conclusion: Based on the the overall findings of the study clearly showed that the intradialytic stretching exercise was effective in reducing the level of muscle cramps and fatigue among hemodialysis patients.