Background: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is the final stage of chronic kidney disease, when the kidneys can no longer function on their own. Patients with dialysis-dependent kidney failure carry an additional burden of co-morbidities, such as, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, infections, and many others. The incidence of dialysis is quite high. Approximately 10% of the world population is affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD). Exercise rehabilitation is a well-established therapy in patients with kidney disease. Despite more than three decades of exercise research in patients with kidney disease, its applications were not very common in practice.

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to review the benefits of physical activity and fitness, muscle strength and quality of life in patients with ESRD.
 
Methods: A total of 43 closely related references were reviewed on physical activity and fitness, and quality of life in patients with ESRD. These articles were consulted from databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science considering the inclusion criteria of the study.

Findings: From the discussion of the study, it was found that supervised exercise therapy should be recommended to the ESRD patients in their rehabilitation.

Conclusion: From the findings of the present review, it was concluded that considering the physical status of the patients, the physical exercises should be encouraged by the nephrologists and physiotherapists to the patients undergoing hemodialysis, as one of the rehabilitation protocols.

Renal rehabilitation, Exercise therapy, End-stage renal disease