Effects of graded exercise training on functional capacity, muscle strength, and fatigue after renal transplantation: a randomized controlled trial

Successful renal transplantation (RT) recipients suffer residual muscle weakness, fatigue, and low functional capacity. A safe, feasible, structured, early graded exercise training to improve functional capacity, muscle strength, and fatigue is the need of the hour. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of graded exercise training on the functional capacity, muscle strength, and fatigue after RT. It is a randomized controlled trial conducted at a tertiary care hospital from January 2012 to December 2016. This trial included 104 consented, stable renal transplant recipients without cardiopulmonary/neuromuscular impairment. They received either routine care (51) or graded exercise training (53) for 12 weeks after randomization. The functional capacity, isometric quadriceps muscle strength, and fatigue score were measured at baseline, six, and 12 weeks later to induction. The outcomes of the study and control groups were analyzed using the /-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation. For all analyses, P