Restorative Physical and Occupational Therapy: a Critical Need for Patients with Chronic Kidney and End-stage Renal Disease

Patients with CKD and ESRD present with many health problems, which may lead to increased mortality and dysfunction. Numerous comorbidities may contribute toward physical, emotional, and social problems and a decreased quality of life. Difficulty ambulating, balance deficits, joint pain and stiffness, muscle spasm and weakness, fatigue, neuropathy, and difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs) may contribute to a decrease in functional independence. Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) aim to restore physical functioning, facilitate independence in ADLs, and promote functional independence by using various therapeutic procedures. PT and OT are the usual services of choice to address impaired function associated with acute and chronic pathology. The purpose of this article is multifold: (1) to describe specific interventions provided by PTs and OTs that may be beneficial to individuals with CKD and ESRD, (2) to identify and describe the potential benefits of rehabilitation for these patient populations, and (3) to provide programmatic rehabilitation recommendations for patients with CKD and ESRD.