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 ) .
Physical activity coaching of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in everyday practice: a long-term follow-up.
OBJECTIVES To investigate the long-term effects on perceived general health , disease activity , pain , activity limitation and cognitive behavioural factors of a one-year coaching programme performed in ordinary physical therapy practice to promote the adoption of health-enhancing physical activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) . METHODS A total of 228 patients with early RA , from 10 rheumatology clinics in Sweden , were r and omly assigned to an intervention group ( IG ; n = 94 ) or a control group ( CG ; n = 134 ) . The IG was coached by physical therapists during the first year to adopt health-enhancing levels of physical activity ( 30 minutes/day , moderately intensive , ≥ 4 days/week ) . No coaching was given during the subsequent year between post-intervention and follow-up . Follow-up assessment consisted of a postal question naire on physical activity and of visual analogue scales for ratings of general health perception and pain . The Health Assessment Question naire Disability Index ( HAQ ) and the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints ( DAS 28 ) were collected at regular medical check-ups . RESULTS Sixty-five ( 69 % ) participants in the IG and 92 ( 69 % ) in the CG completed the entire study period by filling in the follow-up question naire on physical activity two years after baseline . The intervention seemed to lack any significant influence on long-term outcome . However , different patterns of change in physical activity behaviour were observed in the two groups . CONCLUSIONS No long-term improvement in perceived general health or other outcomes were found in the follow-up . This may partly be because the intervention lacked several important behavioural elements for physical activity maintenance
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 ) .