Pathology:
Joints! Parts
of the body’s anatomy where movements happen around them. Where a bone meets
another bone there is a join to hold them together and to make sure of smooth
mobility. In synovial joints, the most moveable joints of the body, the end of
each bone is covered with articular cartilage that acts like a cushion and
minimizes the friction between the bones during movements. With osteoarthritis,
this tissue deteriorates over time, mostly in hand, knee, and hip, and can
cause pain, stiffness, tenderness, and other related issues.
Another type of
arthritis is Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) which is rare compared to
osteoarthritis. Like OA, RA is a chronic disease as well; however, the
underlying cause is autoimmune inflammation of joints. In that case, the immune
system attacks joint linings and causes stiff and swollen joints which can be
painful. RA can negatively affect other organs and lead to increased risk of
cardiovascular disease (CVD) or detrimental changes in body composition like
Rheumatoid cachexia, reduced muscle mass and increased fat mass deposition.
Altogether, these conditions reduce functional abilities of performing daily
tasks and subsequently reduce quality of life in patients with RA.
The opinion
that the condition of osteoarthritis can’t be improved is false and the effects
of exercise can provide positive impacts.
Research:
Arthritis is a
condition that affects millions of people around the world and the wide-spread
nature of this issue is reflected in the research. Thousands of articles and
studies have been conducted on the effects of physical activity on arthritis
conditions. In a systematic review, it was concluded that exercise training for
those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis results in the ability to improve
function without worsening the condition and improving cardiovascular risk
(Cooney et al, 2011). When investigating randomized control trials, a study
involving 80 patients with osteoarthritis and with a mean age of 64 placed
participants either in aerobic walking, aerobic aquatics, or a control group
(Minor et al, 1989). It was found that the aquatics and walking groups showed
significant improvements compared to the control group in aerobic capacity,
50-foot walking time, depression, anxiety, and physical activity (Minor et al.
1989). A similar study involving those aged 60-79 with similar groups of
aquatic, on-land, and control exercises, it was also concluded that aquatic and
on-land exercise showed significant improvements on 9 of 12 functional fitness
tests (Suomi & Collier, 2003). In addition, 64 patients with a mean age of
60 underwent a period of intensive exercise (shoulder and knee strengthening as
well as resistance bicycle training) for 24 weeks and recorded significant
improvements in physical functioning as compared to pre-intervention tests (Van
den Ende et al, 2000)
Therefore,
physical activity programs help individuals with arthritis not only with the
condition itself, but also with other factors in their life
Exercise:
As
we can see in the literature, a variety of physical activities can hold
benefits for those who suffer from arthritis. Now a systematic review did
encourage those with arthritis to include aerobic and resistance exercise
training as part of their care routine (Cooney et al.). This may be due to the
fact that not only will these interventions help with the condition, but the
cardiovascular and muscular benefits one would receive will enhance additional
health benefits. However, due to the condition, such impact physical activity
may not be possible or may not be something one would want to complete.
Therefore, as seen in the literature, low impact activities like swimming or
aquatic movement holds tremendous benefits as well. Therefore, there are plenty
of physical activities that one can complete in order to help with this
condition.
**Don’t forget to
check out this week's “Interesting Reading of the Week '' located in the
sidebar.
**Please note
that the exercise related programs from the studies are not the only effective
training modality that produce benefits. If you believe that exercise will help
you or someone you know, please contact a registered healthcare professional
for more information.
**For more detail
on this topic or to recommend future content, please email us.
Articles
referenced:
Cooney, J. K.,
Law, R. J., Matschke, V., Lemmey, A. B., Moore, J. P., Ahmad, Y., ... &
Thom, J. M. (2011). Benefits of exercise in rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of
aging research, 2011.
Minor, M. A.,
Webel, R. R., Kay, D. R., Hewett, J. E., & Anderson, S. K. (1989). Efficacy
of physical conditioning exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and
osteoarthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatism: Official Journal of the American
College of Rheumatology, 32(11), 1396-1405
Suomi, R.,
& Collier, D. (2003). Effects of arthritis exercise programs on functional
fitness and perceived activities of daily living measures in older adults with
arthritis. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 84(11), 1589-1594.
Van den Ende,
C. H. M., Breedveld, F. C., Le Cessie, S., Dijkmans, B. A. C., De Mug, A. W.,
& Hazes, J. M. W. (2000). Effect of intensive exercise on patients with
active rheumatoid arthritis: a randomised clinical trial. Annals of the
rheumatic diseases, 59(8), 615-621.
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