A home-based two-year strength training period in early RA led to good long-term compliance: A 5-year followup

February 17, 2004

Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Feb 15;51(1):56-62.

A home-based two-year strength training period in early rheumatoid

arthritis led to good long-term compliance: A five-year followup.

Hakkinen A, Sokka T, Hannonen P.

Central Finland Health Care District, Jyvaskyla, Finland.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a 2-year home-based

strength-training program on physical function in patients with early

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after a subsequent 3-year followup. METHODS:

Seventy patients with early RA were randomized to perform either

strength training (experimental group [EG]) or range-of-motion exercises

(control group [CG]). Maximal strength values were recorded by

dynamometers. The Modified Disease Activity Score (DAS28), pain, Health

Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), walking speed, and stair-climbing speed

were also measured. RESULTS: The maximum strength of assessed muscle

groups increased by 19-59% in the EG during the training period and

remained at the reached level throughout the subsequent 3 years. Muscle

strength improved in the CG by 1-31%, but less compared with the EG.

During the 2-year training period, DAS28 decreased by 50% and 45% and

pain by 67% and 39% in the EG and CG, respectively. The differences in

muscle strength, DAS28, and HAQ were significantly in favor of the EG

both at the 2-year and 5-year followup assessments.

CONCLUSIONS: The improvements achieved during the 2-year

strength-training period were sustained for 3 years in patients with

early RA.

PMID: 14872456

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Mayo Clinic in Rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

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