Good disease control , with therapeutic escalation to achieve low disease activity , was recommended .
OBJECTIVE To develop treatment recommendations for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis manifesting as non-systemic polyarthritis , sacroiliitis , or enthesitis .
Effects of an eight-week physical conditioning program on disease signs and symptoms in children with chronic arthritis.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of an 8-week , 24-session weight-bearing physical conditioning program on disease signs and symptoms in children with chronic arthritis . METHODS In a within-subjects , repeated measures design , 25 subjects , ages 8 - 17 years , with chronic polyarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis ( JRA ) , were assessed at study entry , after an 8-week control period , and after an 8-week exercise period , for 1 ) disease status , based on joint count ( JC ) and articular severity index ( ASI ) ( sum of scores for joint swelling , pain on motion , tenderness , and limitations of motion ) ; 2 ) worst pain during the past week , using a 10-cm visual analog scale ( VAS ) , and 3 ) aerobic endurance , using the 9-minute run-walk test of the Health Related Physical Fitness Test battery . The 60-minute conditioning program included warm-up ( 10 minutes ) , low-impact aerobics ( 25 minutes ) , strengthening ( 15 minutes ) , and cool-down and flexibility exercises ( 10 minutes ) . Subjects exercised twice a week at their rheumatology center and once a week at home , using a commercial exercise video-tape supplied by the investigator . RESULTS Significant improvement was found in the ASI ( Friedman analysis of variance [ ANOVA ] ) , JC , and 9-minute run-walk test ( repeated measures ANOVA ) from the pre- to post-exercise tests . Mean VAS pain scores decreased 16 % from study entry to the post-exercise test . Statistically significant improvement ( reliable change index > 1.96 ) occurred in 80 % of subjects on the ASI and 72 % on the JC . CONCLUSION Children and adolescents with chronic polyarticular JRA can improve their aerobic endurance through participation in weight-bearing physical conditioning programs without disease exacerbation or increased pain , and may achieve decreased joint signs and symptoms through increased physical activity
Good disease control , with therapeutic escalation to achieve low disease activity , was recommended .
OBJECTIVE To develop treatment recommendations for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis manifesting as non-systemic polyarthritis , sacroiliitis , or enthesitis .