When it comes to rheumatoid
arthritis (RA), taking any steps can be painful.
But a new study shows that taking those steps while wearing a
pedometer can be beneficial for symptom management.
In fact, fitness trackers can
help people with RA, whether or not they choose to set specific goals or track
the number of steps they take each day.
Researchers in the study concluded
that the act of simply wearing a pedometer can motivate people with RA to keep
moving and stay active.
The researchers said that
perhaps the most telling result in their study was a reduction in patient
fatigue.
This may prove to be of
interest to RA patients and rheumatologists alike, as fatigue is one of the
most difficult RA symptoms to treat.
According to the Arthritis
Foundation, up to 98 percent of people
with RA report fatigue as a symptom.
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On the move
The latest study followed 96
participants. All but eight finished the 21-week assessment.
The findings were published
in the Arthritis Care Research medical journal.
It found that providing pedometers
to people with RA, without providing step targets, successfully increased
activity while also diminishing fatigue.
The notion of exercise as
a way to mitigate RA pain and fatigue isn’t new.
In fact, the Arthritis
Foundation has run campaigns with slogans like Let’s Move Together.
They also formerly
partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a
campaign called Get Moving America.
While rheumatologists used
to dissuade patients from exercise, now they encourage light activity such as
water aerobics, tai chi, chair yoga, resistance band training, and walking.
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Pedometers may be the
next step
But pedometers may be the
next recommendation they make.
A
2011 study found
that activity — in the form of aerobic and resistance exercise training — was
key in fatigue reduction and management.
The latest study
encouraged the intervention of pedometers to encourage movement of any kind in
any quantity.
A review of studies
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that
people — with or without a medical issue —
who wore a fitness tracker or pedometer to record their steps increased
their step count by at least 27 percent per day.
This may be worth
considering.
With heart disease and
muscle cachexia being closely linked to RA, perhaps the next prescription someone
with RA should fill is that of a pedometer.
“Because rheumatoid
arthritis medications have only small effects on fatigue, it’s important for
patients to have other ways to manage their fatigue,” said Patricia Katz, PhD, who
was the lead author of the recent Arthritis Care Research study. “These
results suggest that something as simple as increasing physical activity by
walking can help.”
“This relatively simple
intervention helped a very sedentary group of rheumatoid arthritis patients
increase their activity at a level that is considered clinically significant,”
Lucas Carr PhD, of the University of Iowa, who wasn’t involved in the study,
told Channel News Asia. “The largest health benefits are realized when an individual changes
from doing nothing to doing something.”
“Overall, this study further
confirms the importance of physical activity for people with RA,” concluded Katz.
“Not only does it help to reduce fatigue — as shown in this study — it may
improve mood, help a patient maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular
risk factors, and improve overall functioning.”
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