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Stories for Reprint
Arthritis Exercise Program Works
By Ferdous Al-Faruque, MARRTC Staff
The Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program or AFEP has been promoted for helping people reduce their arthritis pain and take control of their disease. Recently, researchers at the University of Missouri conducted a study to see just how effective the program was.
"What we found was people with arthritis do benefit from important changes when they participate in this class for eight weeks," says Marian Minor, PhD, a physical therapist at the University of Missouri and principal investigator of the study. "Their pain went down, their function went up, fatigue improved, and they felt more confident that they could manage their disease."
The Arthritis Foundation offers these courses in many communities around the United States. Meetings take place two to three times a week for 8-week or 16-week sessions. The courses are also offered through state supported arthritis programs in 37 states. Course instructors teach participants how to improve their mobility, how to relax and other ways to improve their health.
Minor says some people are afraid they won't be able to exercise because they have arthritis but says the exercises are very low intensity. "Don't be afraid it's exercise you can't do," she says. "Everybody can do it."
Minor, who was also a founder of the AFEP, formerly known as People with Arthritis Can Exercise or PACE, says people in their study who took the course for 16 weeks, did not improve significantly compared with people who took the 8-week course.
The vast majority of the more than 170 participants in the study were white women whose average age was 65 years. They were split into two groups; the first group exercised in the 8-week course while the second group exercised in the 16-week courses. Six months after the exercise courses were over the study found participants in both groups had improved in several areas. They had better mobility and ability to do things for themselves, and had reduced pain and fatigue. However, the courses did not seem to have a significant impact on people's self-esteem, their faith in exercising or their stiffness.
Minor says health care providers should refer their patients to take the courses. If there are no courses in their area, they can look at other exercise programs that may give similar benefits. She also says health care providers can teach the courses themselves. "You might even want to contact your Arthritis Foundation office and become a trainer so you can teach the classes yourself or get them going in your community," said Minor.
Minor says it's not just about taking the class but what people can take away from the courses. "One of the hopes is that by taking this class you not only got a little exercise but learned how to be more active and more comfortable to (exercise)."
Those interested in finding out more about the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program can visit http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/intervention/index.htm or call 1-800-568-4045.
The study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Association of Medical Colleges.
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