RESEARCH - Exercise reverses arthritis-related wasting

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Exercise reverses arthritis-related wasting

" Generalized muscle wasting in rheumatoid arthritis is common although often

masked by a concomitant increase in fat mass, " Dr. e M. Marcora told

Reuters Health. " Our preliminary study suggests that progressive resistance

training is an effective treatment for this metabolic complication of

rheumatoid arthritis. "

As reported in the Journal of Rheumatology, Marcora from University of

Wales-Bangor, UK, and colleagues investigated the value of progressive

resistance training (PRT) in 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and loss

of muscle mass.

Ten of the patients participated in 12 weeks of PRT, consisting of

thrice-weekly sessions that included eight resistance exercises per session.

The other 10 patients continued their usual care without additional PRT.

Progressive resistance training significantly increased lean body mass and

fat-free mass without altering total body weight, the researchers report.

Hand-grip strength, elbow flex strength, and 30-second sit-to-stand test

results increased significantly among patients who underwent PRT.

Although the training did not affect overall quality of life, the

researchers note, participants reported less difficulty in advanced

activities of daily living.

PRT did not cause any arthritis flare-ups or injuries, the results indicate,

and training did not significantly affect any measures of disease activity.

Any patient with rheumatoid arthritis should undertake low-impact, moderate

intensity exercise, Marcora advised, but not necessarily the intensive

training used in this study.

" The intense PRT program we used to stimulate muscle growth in rheumatoid

arthritis patients should probably be treated as a 'pharmacological' form of

exercise and prescribed only to patients with severe (muscle wasting), " he

explained.

Nonetheless, " Any patient with low to moderate disease activity can

undertake this level of progressive resistance training, " he said.

" Although very intense on muscles, PRT is actually a low-impact activity in

terms of forces imposed on the joints when performed correctly, " Marcora

pointed out. " This is why it is very important that patients are initially

supervised and appropriately instructed by a clinical exercise

physiologist. "

Last Updated:6/27/2005 10:57:04 AM

Copyright © 2005 Reuters News Agency.

http://www.meritcare.com/news/world/viewarticle.asp?id=20238

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