Conclusion Exercises and PA promotion according to public health recommendations  for PA improved cardiovascular fitness , muscle strength and PA behaviour , with moderate effect sizes in people with SpA , RA and HOA/KOA .
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of exercise and physical activity ( PA ) promotion on cardiovascular fitness , muscle strength , flexibility , neuromotor performance ( eg , balance ) and daily PA in people with rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) , spondyloarthritis ( SpA ) and hip/knee osteoarthritis ( HOA/KOA ) .
Is a long-term high-intensity exercise program effective and safe in patients with rheumatoid arthritis? Results of a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE There are insufficient data on the effects of long-term intensive exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) . We undertook this r and omized , controlled , multicenter trial to compare the effectiveness and safety of a 2-year intensive exercise program ( Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients In Training [ RAPIT ] ) with those of physical therapy ( termed usual care [ UC ] ) . METHODS Three hundred nine RA patients were assigned to either the RAPIT program or UC . The primary end points were functional ability ( assessed by the McMaster Toronto Arthritis [ MACTAR ] Patient Preference Disability Question naire and the Health Assessment Question naire [ HAQ ] ) and the effects on radiographic progression in large joints . Secondary end points concerned emotional status and disease activity . RESULTS After 2 years , participants in the RAPIT program showed greater improvement in functional ability than participants in UC . The mean difference in change of the MACTAR Question naire score was 2.6 ( 95 % confidence interval [ 95 % CI ] 0.1 , 5.2 ) over the first year and 3.1 ( 95 % CI 0.7 , 5.5 ) over the second year . After 2 years , the mean difference in change of the HAQ score was -0.09 ( 95 % CI -0.18 , -0.01 ) . The median radiographic damage of the large joints did not increase in either group . In both groups , participants with considerable baseline damage showed slightly more progression in damage , and this was more obvious in the RAPIT group . The RAPIT program proved to be effective in improving emotional status . No detrimental effects on disease activity were found . CONCLUSION A long-term high-intensity exercise program is more effective than UC in improving functional ability of RA patients . Intensive exercise does not increase radiographic damage of the large joints , except possibly in patients with considerable baseline damage of the large joints
Conclusion Exercises and PA promotion according to public health recommendations  for PA improved cardiovascular fitness , muscle strength and PA behaviour , with moderate effect sizes in people with SpA , RA and HOA/KOA .
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of exercise and physical activity ( PA ) promotion on cardiovascular fitness , muscle strength , flexibility , neuromotor performance ( eg , balance ) and daily PA in people with rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) , spondyloarthritis ( SpA ) and hip/knee osteoarthritis ( HOA/KOA ) .