title: Effects of aerobic and muscle strengthening exercise in adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a narrative review summarising a chapter in Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of disease (FYSS 2016).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Besides pharmacological treatment, regular exercise is one of the cornerstones of care in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In many of the earlier studies of exercise in RA, the intensity of the exercise did not reach the current recommendations or is not described in satisfactory detail. This narrative review is based on randomised controlled trials with a detailed description of the exercise type, frequency, duration and intensity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is moderate-quality evidence that short-term land-based aerobic exercise of moderate to high intensity augments oxygen uptake but does not improve muscle strength. Short-term water-based aerobic exercise of moderate to high intensity augments oxygen uptake; short term land-based aerobic and muscle strengthening exercise of moderate to high intensity augments oxygen uptake and muscle strength. Long-term land-based aerobic and muscle strengthening exercise of moderate to high intensity reduces activity limitations and improves both oxygen uptake and muscle strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians should recommend that patients with RA participate in various types of exercise.
authors: Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden Department of Physiotherapy, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Swärdh
authors: Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Orthopaedics, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: N
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3589-664X
authors: N
authors: Brodin
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053580:Muscle Strength; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
keywords: Aerobic fitness; Exercise; Physical activity; Rehabilitation