2/10/12 Despite numerous public service campaigns and studies touting the benefits of exercise for people with arthritis, more than 40 percent of those with rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, remain inactive, according to a new study published online in the journal Arthritis Care & Research. But the researchers found that up to 65 percent of this extra inactivity is due to two modifiable risk factors, suggesting that more effective public health initiatives could turn the situation around.
“We were surprised they were very inactive,” says the study’s lead author Jungwha “Julia” Lee, PhD, assistant professor in the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “Regular, moderate physical activity offers a host of benefits. It helps reduce pain and improve well-being.”
James O’Dell, MD, president of the American College of Rheumatology, or ACR, and chief of rheumatology, vice-chairman and residency program director at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, agrees. “The bottom line is activity keeps you healthy,” he says. Physical activity can help shore up joints by strengthening the muscle around them and also combat heart disease, adds Dr. O’Dell, who is not associated with this study.
“The primary reason RA patients have decreased life expectancy is because of increased cardiovascular events. We know from many, many studies how important activity is to decreasing cardiovascular risk factors,” says Dr. O’Dell.
I've had injections which have not helped.
Anyone else out there with this problem, and does anyone have suggestions on what kind of exercise to do to help with this? Thank you!
I am a young mother of 3 who developed RA after the birth of my 3rd child. It is not well controlled at this point. I do what I can, as I believe most people do. Sometimes that includes exercise, other times it means just keeping my family clothed and fed.
Arthritis Today, how is this article helpful to those of us who live with RA?
I do all housework, cooking, shopping andything that runs a household. I agree with some of you that with the fatigue I have to conserve energy for priority chores.
Yes, there are days when I flare up and can barely even open a water bottle but nothing a few ibuprofen can't fix!
Even if my joins are stiff and swollen, I use it as my motivation to stay active.
I know I will never be cured but it is my belief that it will get better with time and I know by me sitting around doing nothing I am not helping the cause.
I crossfit and love every minute of it.
The stage of the disease, the severity of the RA, the amount of deterioration of joints should be the critical determinants in choosing the type and amount of exercise that is appropriate for each patient with RA.
It is easy to flare this disease through too much of the wrong type of exercise.
For the author to leave the impression that any RA patient can simply go out and mow their lawn or do 45 minutes of any type of moderate exercise is the worst possible advice. It is vital to balance muscle strengthening and fitness with avoidance of a flare and progression of joint destruction.
Secondly, I think the sample population of this study needs to be better described. Knowing how many of the study participants work either in or out of the home, how many are on disability or retired, and how many are represented in each of the age groups directly impacts the reliability and validity of the study. Having recently completed a doctorate I do understand the implications of clearly identifying the participant population.
The third point that I would like to make is that although study participants may not have participated in 30 minutes of moderate activity, activities of the workplace might be almost as effective. To compare a teacher's daily activity with someone who is retired and doing virtually nothing is not a valid comparison. The teacher may be busy throughout the working day and involved in a variety of activities that do not meet the criteria of "exercise" yet still be busy and still be getting a substantial workout when the whole day is considered.
The fact that exercise is important cannot be denied. Encouraging people with RA to exercise is also important and should be part of every self-help program.
Additionally, mental and social activity are also important considerations. Keeping the mind active enables patients to focus on other things beside their disease, and being socially active has numerous benefits. My thinking is that all three work hand-in-hand. If people are mentally active and feel they are vital members of society they are more likely to have a greater sense of well-being which then contributes to the desire to be more physically active.
Having people know their disease, understand their limitations, and not fear exercise are all desirable goals. For that to occur, the care team must be actively involved in patient care to help patients work within the limits of their particular disease and work out exercise regimes tailored to the patient's particular situation.
I have had J(RA) since I was 15 and am now approaching 58. I have had numerous surgeries and tried many meds including the anti-TNFs and rituxan. I also was a first grade classroom teacher for 34 years until my retirement last July. I completed my doctorate in 2010.
Until that time, maybe we can convince these researchers via e mail to look into other variables (reasons) for persons not exercising? They study the condition, but don't "know" the disorder and what it really is like to live with it daily.
When RA physicians begin to take the devastation felt by RA fatigue, perhaps exercise may be a reasonable expectation. Better yet, I would commit to daily exercise for the remainder of my existence if there were a magic pill to renew my energy and take away my pain.
My sentiment is not to castigate the researchers' efforts, but to disavow the very real effects of RA symptoms like pain and energy level is disappointing and fails to delve into real solutions.
For the record, I personally exercise however, many of my RA friends are not able to due to the fact that their RA is not well controlled. Exercise can be a painful experience if not done properly. Did this study include a list of "proper" exercises for those with RA?
We need support of this disease for the children & adults that suffer, not incomplete reports of why we're apparently failing at controlling our disease.
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