Experts Suggest Initiatives to Motivate RA Patients to Activity Improves Public Health
A new study, funded by a grant from the National Institute for Arthritis
and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), found that two in five
adults (42%) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were inactive. Taking
measures to motivate RA patients to increase their physical activity
will improve public health according to the findings now available in Arthritis
Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on
behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
The ACR estimates nearly 1.3 million adults in the U.S. are diagnosed
with RA, a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by systemic joint
inflammation that can damage joints, impair function, and cause
significant disability. Until the early 1980s, medical experts
recommended medication and rest for those with arthritis. However,
current medical evidence now suggests that regular, moderate physical
activity benefits arthritis sufferers by maintaining joint flexibility,
improving balance, strengthening muscles, and reducing pain.
“While there is much evidence of the benefits of physical activity, RA
patients are generally not physically active, and physicians often do
not encourage regular physical activity in this patient population,”
explains Dr. Jungwha Lee, an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of
Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. “Our study aims to expand understanding
of the risk factors associated with inactivity among adults with RA and
encourage clinical interventions that promote participation in physical
activity.”
Dr. Lee and colleagues analyzed data on 176 RA patients, 18 years of age
or older enrolled in a randomized controlled trial to assess the
effectiveness of an intervention promoting physical activity. The team
evaluated pre-intervention data for inactivity which was defined as no
sustained 10-minute periods of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
during a week. Researchers also assessed the relationships between
inactivity and modifiable risk factors such as motivation for physical
activity, obesity, and pain.
Results show that 42% of RA patients were inactive; participating in no
moderate-to-vigorous physical activity periods of at least ten minutes
during a 7-day period of objective activity monitoring. Researchers
found that 53% of study participants lacked strong motivation for
physical activity and 49% lacked strong beliefs in the benefits of
physical activity. These two modifiable risk factors account for 65% of
excess inactivity in this study group.
While previous research relied on self-reported physical activity
measures, the strength of the current study lies in the use of
accelerometers—a device used to measure acceleration and movement—to
objectively assess physical activity in participants. “Physical
inactivity among RA patients is a public health concern,” concludes Dr.
Lee. “Our results suggest that public health initiatives need to address
the lack of motivation to exercise and promote the benefits of physical
activity to reduce the prevalence of inactivity in those with RA.”
