Key messages from scientific research that's ready to be acted on
Got It, Hide thisHu H, Xu A, Gao C, et al. The effect of physical exercise on rheumatoid arthritis: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analysis. J Adv Nurs. 2021;77:506-22.
In people who have rheumatoid arthritis, do different types of exercise improve symptoms?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition. It can cause inflammation, pain, stiffness, and fatigue. It can also cause deformity of the small joints, usually in the hands and feet.
There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but its symptoms can sometimes be controlled. It is uncertain whether exercise can help control the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
The researchers did a systematic review, searching for reviews that were published in English up to September 2019. They found 10 systematic reviews that included 97 individual studies and 7,190 people.
The key features of the studies were:
Compared with other exercise or physical activity, mobility exercise, usual care, or wait list:
In people with rheumatoid arthritis, aerobic exercise and/or strength training may improve some symptoms.
Type of exercise | Outcomes | Number of studies (number of people) | Effect† of exercise program | Quality of evidence |
Aerobic exercise | Aerobic capacity (a measure of how efficiently your body uses oxygen during maximum-intensity exercise) | 6 studies (282 people) | Large improvement | Very low |
Strength training | Pain | 3 studies (119 people) | Moderate improvement | Very low |
Strength training | Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (a blood test that indicates the presence of inflammation) | 2 studies (101 people) | Moderate improvement | Very low |
Strength training | 50-foot walking time | 2 studies (50 people) | Large improvement | Very low |
Aerobic exercise with strength training | Physical function | 4 studies (399 people) | Small improvement | Moderate |
Aerobic exercise with strength training | Fatigue | 4 studies (455 people) | Small improvement | Low |