Physical Activity in Liver Transplantation: A Patient's and Physicians’ Experience

Abstract

Liver transplantation has become a highly standardized, acceptable option for selected patients with end-stage liver disease and/or hepatocellular carcinoma in the setting of cirrhosis. Both conditions are associated with loss of skeletal muscle mass (sarcopenia) and physical deconditioning. Both conditions result in a dramatic decrease in the patients’ quality of life, negatively impacting on the pre- and post-transplant prognosis. In this context, awareness of the advantages of physical activity in both the pre- and post-transplant setting is key. However, the importance of regular, individualized and patient-adapted physical activity is still understudied and underestimated. This article describes a three-sided perspective on the importance of physical activity in the setting of liver transplantation, including a patient's, transplant surgeon's and hepatologist’s point of view.