Effects of exercise on physical limitations and fatigue in rheumatic diseases

Abstract

Physical activity covers not just sports but also simple everyday movements such as housework, walking and playing. Regular exercise has a great importance in maintaining good health, indeed inactivity is a risk factor for different chronic diseases. Physical exercise can play a crucial role in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, optimizing both physical and mental health, enhancing energy, decreasing fatigue and improving sleep. An exercise program for patients with rheumatic diseases aims to preserve or restore a range of motion of the affected joints, to increase muscle strength and endurance, and to improve mood and decrease health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. In this editorial I describe the benefits of the exercise on physical limitations and fatigue in rheumatic diseases that seem to have a short and long-term effectiveness. A literature review was conducted on PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar using appropriate keywords based on the present editorial.

The Effect of Mechanical Loading on Articular Cartilage

“…Physical exercise can play a crucial role in the treatment of cartilage diseases, optimizing both physical and mental health, enhancing energy, decreasing fatigue and improving sleep. An exercise program for patients with cartilage diseases aims to preserve or restore a range of motion of the affected joints, to increase muscle strength and endurance, and to improve mood and decrease health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle [49]. Regular exercise has a great importance in maintaining good health, balance and posture, while inactivity represents a risk factor for different chronic diseases [50,51].…”

Physical Activity for Health—An Overview and an Update of the Physical Activity Guidelines of the Italian Ministry of Health

“…Plenty of studies [1][2][3][8][9][10][11] confirms its beneficial effects and discloses that physical activity ‚ improves glucose tolerance and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes; ‚ prevents hypercholesterolemia and hypertension and reduces the levels of blood pressure and cholesterol; ‚ decreases the risk of developing heart disease and several cancers, such as those of the colon and breast; ‚ reduces the risk of premature death, especially that caused by heart attacks and other heart diseases; ‚ prevents and reduces the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, as well as musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., back pain); ‚ prevents and reduces the risk of osteoarthritis and other rheumatic diseases;…”

“…Flexibility programs can increase the functional range of motion and reduce the risk of injury. Joint flexibility may decrease with age, affecting normal daily function; elderly adults could maintain their fitness by improving flexibility through stretching exercises [9].…”

Which is the Best Physical Treatment for Osteoarthritis?

“…Joint flexibility may decrease with age, affecting normal daily function; older adults could maintain the ability improving flexibility through stretching exercises [63][64][65], so that flexibility exercises are often synonymous with stretching training. By increasing the joint range of motion, performance may be enhanced and the risk of injury reduced.…”