The effectiveness of exercise therapy in rheumatoid arthritis
Morozova E.V., Shmeleva S.V., Karpinsky A.A., Ragulin S.V., Goltsov A.V., Belyakova N.V., Gershun G.S.
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) primarily affects the small joints of the fingers and toes. The disease is characterized by a long course with periodic exacerbations of symptoms. In the early stages of RA, joint pain, active movement, and morning stiffness are common, which later leads to joint deformity and decreased functional capacity. Exercise therapy (ET) aimed at stabilizing and eliminating the pathological process and maintaining joint function is of great importance in reducing RA complications. This therapy aims to stabilize and eliminate the pathological process and maintain joint function.
Objective: Evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of ET for RA in a rehabilitation center.
Materials and methods: Thirty men and women with RA, aged 43.0 ± 2.3 years, participated in the study. All patients were divided into two groups: a control group (CG) and an experimental group (EG), each consisting of 15 patients. Before and after ET, all patients underwent the following assessments: a visual analog scale (VAS) questionnaire to assess joint pain, as well as hand dynamometry, metacarpophalangeal joint goniometry, and shoulder abduction.
Results: The mean pain score according to VAS in the EG before rehabilitation was 68.9 mm, and after ET – 34.9 mm, indicating an improvement of 34.0 mm. It was revealed that, on average, the flexion angle of the metacarpophalangeal joints of the right hand improved by 6.8°, or 9.0%, and by 6.9°, or 9.2%, of the left. In the CG, the mean pain score according to VAS was 70.4 mm at the beginning, and 41.3 mm after ET; a significant therapeutic effect was achieved. The average flexion angle of the metacarpophalangeal joints of the right hand was 82.3° in the EG, 79.7° in the CG (the difference was 2.6°), and of the left hand in the EG – 82.0°, CG – 80.2° (the difference was 1.8°). The average shoulder abduction angle of the right arm in the EG was 132.6°, while in the CG it was 128.0° (a difference of 4.6°); for the left arm, it was 131.7° in the EG and 128.4° in the CG (a difference of 3.3°).
Conclusion: Exercise therapy tailored to the individual characteristics and functional capabilities of RA patients reduces upper extremity pain, improve well-being and mood, strengthen muscles/ligaments, and increase joint mobility and physical activity.
For citations: Morozova E.V., Shmeleva S.V., Karpinsky A.A., Ragulin S.V., Goltsov A.V., Belyakova N.V., Gershun G.S. The effectiveness of exercise therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Pharmateca. 2026;33(6):143-147. (In Russ.). DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/pharmateca.2026.6.143-147
Authors’ contribution: N.V. Belyakova – study design, manuscript writing. A.A. Karpinsky – data collection. S.V. Ragulin, G.S. Gershun – data processing. S.V. Shmeleva – study concept, editing. E.V. Morozova, A.V. Goltsov – compilation of the reference list. All authors are responsible for the integrity and approval of the final version of the manuscript.
Conflicts of interest: The authors confirm that they have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding: The study was conducted without any sponsorship.
Ethical Approval: Ethics Committee of the K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State Technical University, Protocol No. 5 dated March 20, 2025.
Patient Consent for Publication: All patients provided informed consent for the publication of their data.
Authors’ Data Sharing Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are available upon request from the corresponding author after approval from the principal investigator.
Keywords
pain
deformity
small joints
rheumatoid arthritis
morning stiffness
About the Authors
E.V. Morozova, Cand. Sci. (Sociology), Associate Professor, Russian Technological University (RTU MIREA), Moscow, RussiaSvetlana V. Shmeleva, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Professor, K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technology and Management, Moscow, Russia; 89151479832@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0390-194X (corresponding author)
A.A. Karpinsky, Senior Lecturer, Moscow Economic Institute of Humanities and Natural Sciences, Moscow, Russia; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2144-8248
S.V. Ragulin, Senior Lecturer, Russian Technological University (RTU MIREA), Moscow, Russia
A.V. Goltsov, Cand. Sci. (Psychology), Associate Professor, Russian State Social University, Moscow, Russia; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5130-8844
N.V. Belyakova, Cand. Sci. (Psychology), K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technology and Management, Moscow, Russia; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7116-9389
G.S. Gershun, Associate Professor, K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technology and Management, Moscow, Russia; ORCID:
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9206-1532
Similar Articles
