Vigorous exercise accelerates arthritis damage

High intensity, weight-bearing exercises accelerates the progression of joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, intensive exercise appears to be safe for arthritis patients with little or no joint damage. Previous studies have shown that exercise programs to improve muscle strength and aerobic capacity are beneficial for people with rheumatoid arthritis. However, one study did uncover a trend toward more damage within large joints after high-intensity exercise. Researchers from the Leiden University Medical Center investigated 277 people who participated in the Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in Training (RAPIT) study. One hundred and forty patients were assigned to the usual care and 137 to the exercise program. The amount of joint damage at the start of the study was a significant factor in effects of exercise. Exercise program had no effect on joint damage for 218 patients with a low initial joint-damage score. However, there was a faster rate of damage in the exercise group for 59 people with higher initial scores. Shoulder and ankle joints were particularly affected. Rheumatologists and physiotherapists should advise patients with rheumatoid arthritis to be cautious with excessive loading of extensively damaged joints. It is recommended that individualized exercise program should be designed for people with already extensively damaged large joints.