Physical activity behavior in older women with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective. To identify physical activity behaviors of older (>60 years) women with rheumatoid arthritis, and to determine if physical activity behavior differed by demographic characteristics or disease duration. Methods. Cognitively intact, ambulatory women with rheumatoid arthritis seen at an urban university arthritis center (n ‫؍‬ 185) responded to a survey that included demographics, number of years since RA diagnosis, and physical activity assessed with the Yale Physical Activity Survey. Results. Participants had a mean age of 70 years and a mean disease duration of 17.6 years. Mean total of physical activity, including low-, moderate-, and high-intensity activity, was 23 hours/week, with 47 different physical activities identified. Housework comprised 67% of total physical activity time, whereas leisure activities and planned exercise comprised only 15% and 10%, respectively. Sixty percent of the women reported participation in some type of vigorous activity, and 88% reported they had done leisure walking in the past month. Age was negatively associated with scores on the activity summary index (r ‫؍‬ -0.195, P < 0.01), and there was a significant difference on the activity summary index by employment status, with women in the work force (n ‫؍‬ 47) and those involved in housekeeping (n ‫؍‬ 105) scoring significantly higher (P ‫؍‬ 0.003) than the women (n ‫؍‬ 33) who described themselves as retired (F ‫؍‬ 7.81, 2 degrees of freedom, P ‫؍‬ 0.001). Conclusion. Older women with rheumatoid arthritis may participate in a broader array of physical activities than previously assumed, and could benefit from increasing the proportion of moderate or vigorous activity incorporated into their daily routines.

Physical Activity to Reduce Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…We also found, similar to other published studies, that many individuals with RA have very low levels of physical activity (10,11) in spite of the demonstrated safety of exercise and published guidelines recommending physical activity for persons with RA (12). Although studies have examined the impact of exercise interventions on RA outcomes, most have focused on pain or function (13)(14)(15)(16)(17).…”

Physical activity, physical fitness, and general health perception among individuals with rheumatoid arthritis

“…One hundred forty-seven patients had scores Ն12.5, indicating that they 50 Eurenius et al reached the physical activity levels recommended to maintain good health. One hundred thirty-two patients had scores Ͻ12.5 and 19 did not answer the questionnaire completely enough to determine their scores.…”

“…However, the questionnaire was developed for the general population, which includes individuals with arthritis, long-standing pain, and other chronic diseases. Nevertheless, it cannot be excluded that the answers from patients with arthritis might be biased either by social desirability or overestimation of their physical activity (50). For example, our patients were urged to take into account only their cardiovascular exertion when filling out the questionnaires, but pain, stiffness, and fatigue might still have influenced their estimation and thus biased the results toward a higher estimated physical activity level.…”

Physical Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review

“…The use of differing measurement tools leads to greatly differing output styles also. They include kJ/day, 10 hrs/week, 49 hrs/day, 42 mins/ day, 42,49 MJ/day, 47 kcals/week, 41 mins/week, 45,50 kcals/ day, 48 METmin per week 51 and METhours/day, 52 as well as exercise level, 38 physical activity level, 47 sum score of outcome measure, 44,46 meeting of national recommendations, 50 daily average number of steps, 48 number of steps taken, 43 vigor of steps, 43 time spent standing, 43 total energy in arbitrary units, 43 participation in activity domains, 39 and % in different physical activity categories. 40 …”