Effects of an Exercise Program and Cold-Water Immersion Recovery in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Feasibility Study

Daniele Peres (), Clément Prati, Laurent Mourot, Amanda Magalhães Demartino, Yoshimasa Sagawa and Nicolas Tordi
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Daniele Peres: PEPITE EA4267, Platform Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI), Franche-Comté University, F-25000 Besançon, France
Clément Prati: PEPITE EA4267, Platform Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI), Franche-Comté University, F-25000 Besançon, France
Laurent Mourot: EA3920 Prognostic and Regulatory Factors of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI), Franche-Comté University, F-25000 Besançon, France
Amanda Magalhães Demartino: EA3920 Prognostic and Regulatory Factors of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI), Franche-Comté University, F-25000 Besançon, France
Yoshimasa Sagawa: Integrative and Clinical Neurosciences EA481, Inserm 1431, Franche-Comté University, F-25000 Besançon, France
Nicolas Tordi: PEPITE EA4267, Platform Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI), Franche-Comté University, F-25000 Besançon, France

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 12, 1-10

Abstract: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients present is an increased cardiovascular risk (CVR) linked to systemic inflammatory manifestations. A physical activity program with known positive effects on CVR, followed by cryotherapy because of its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, may be interesting. However, there are no reports in the literature of such a program. This study aimed to determine the feasibility (acceptability, safety, and effectiveness) of an individualized Intermittent Exercise Program followed by cold-water immersion as a recovery for RA patients. The program was conducted three times per week by eighteen RA patients (one man) with means of age and BMI of 55 (11.9) years and 25.5 (4.7) kg·m −2 . Outcomes were assessed before and after nine and seventeen sessions and included evaluation of acceptability by perceived exertion (Borg) and water temperature (VAS) measures at each session; safety by a number of painful and swollen joints (echography); physical function (health assessment questionnaire); general health status (Short Form-36) measures; and effectiveness by arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, or PWV) measures. The results showed good acceptability of the program; no patient dropped out of the protocol or even presented difficulties or perceived pain. The HR and PWV values decreased significantly (70.2 ± 8.4 to 66 ± 5.5; p < 0.05 and 8.9 ± 1.2 to 7.0 ± 0.8; p < 0.001) after nine exercise sessions. No aggravation of symptoms has been noted. This program is acceptable, safe, and effective; consider tailoring it for supervised home-based use.

Keywords: aerobic exercise; rheumatoid arthritis; cardiovascular disease; cryotherapy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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