Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients May Benefit From High-Intensity
Exercise Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a painful joint disease
characterized by inflammation and swelling of the synovial
membrane, or lining, of the joints. Although the disease usually
occurs between the ages of 40 and 60 and is diagnosed in women
twice as much as in men, RA can affect anyone at any age,
including children. A person living with the debilitating
affects of RA may not feel inclined to exercise; however, a
recent study published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
has found that high-intensity exercise does not increase joint
damage in RA patients, and may even be beneficial. Researchers
from the Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands
conducted the Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in Training (RAPIT)
study, which compared 145 usual care (UC) physical therapy
patients with 136 patients engaged in high-intensity weight-
bearing exercises over a period of two years. All study
participants were evaluated for the rate of radi