title: [Assess of patients' functional condition with rheumatoid arthritis before and after physical therapy treatment].
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of duration of disease and age on the functional condition of patients and also healing effectiveness in different duration of disease and age.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 31 patients with rheumatoid arthritis aged 40-70 years, with duration of disease 5-20 years. In this group was used following physical therapy technique: cryotherapy, ultrasound therapy, laser therapy, electrical stimulation TENS, iontophoresis, diadynamic and magnetic therapy. Before and after the treatment motor capacity was estimated using Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presented results indicate improvement of measured parameters and increasement of patients independence after therapy, especially with duration of disease 5-10 years aged 60-70 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Susceptibility of anti pain treatment using physical therapy increase with increasing duration of disease. Therapy influence on functional condition of patient decreasing with duration of disease.
authors.affiliation: Katedra i Klinika Fizjoterapii, Rehabilitacji i Reumatologii, Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Karola Marcinkowskiego w Poznaniu. krawczyk.agnieszka@wp.pl
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krawczyk-Wasielewska
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuncewicz
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobieska
authors.forename: Włodzimierz
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Samborski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000628:therapy*; D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007478:Iontophoresis / Q000379:methods*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011044:Poland; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods