Exercising my right as a patient: Reflections on physical activity and exercise in peritoneal dialysis

Public health guidance around physical activity and exercise for the general population is readily available and frequently updated. For people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), specifically those receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD), the relevance of these guidelines is limited and does not address their specific needs. The recently published International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis and Global Renal Exercise Network practice recommendations1 go a long way in addressing this gap by answering key questions posed by patients receiving PD. These patient-centred recommendations provide a foundation on which patients’ physical activity and exercise needs can start to be met in clinical practice. Alongside this comes a need for health professionals and clinicians to reflect on the lived experience of patients receiving PD, and the following two accounts highlight the importance of physical activity and exercise for mental health, self-esteem, autonomy, pain and life participation.