Exercise perceptions in rheumatoid arthritis patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the perceptions and experiences of strength and resistance exercise in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
IRAS ID
315587
Contact name
Peter Rouse
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 8 days
Research summary
People with rheumatoid arthritis are less active than the general population. There are numerous benefits to patients with rheumatoid arthritis in becoming more active. One problem that results from being inactive is rheumatoid cachexia. This means muscle strength is lost. Regular exercise can reverse this. Although the benefits of exercise for rheumatoid arthritis patients have been demonstrated, it is not clear why RA patients remain less active. Barriers to exercise for rheumatoid arthritis patients include lack of support from healthcare professionals, the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and fears around environmental conditions. Research has been carried out on barriers to all forms of exercise but there is limited information on why rheumatoid arthritis patients do not participate in strength building exercise. Current government guidelines recommend that adults participate in this form of exercise twice a week. It is important to understand what the experiences of patients with rheumatoid arthritis are in strength building exercises and what makes it hard for them to participate in this form of exercise. This project will use interviews with patients with rheumatoid arthritis to understand how this patient group perceive and experience strength building forms of activity and exercise. Patients aged 18 years or over with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis would be eligible for the study. Patients attending the rheumatology department at South Tees NHS Foundation trust will be approached about participating in the study. The study will involve one interview of 45-60 minutes. The interview will be carried out over the telephone. The study is likely to require 15-20 participants based on previous interview studies in this subject area. The project is being carried out as part of master's degree in Sports and Exercise Medicine. The institution is the University of Bath.
REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
23/WA/0130
Date of REC Opinion
15 May 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion