title: Self-Management of Arthritis Symptoms by Complementary and Alternative Medicine Movement Therapies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study describes the association between current use of different complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) movement therapies (MTs) and arthritis symptoms (pain, fatigue, difficulty with physical function, and feelings of helplessness).
  
  
  METHODS
  By using a cross-sectional design, 2140 participants with arthritis or chronic joint symptoms completed a survey about CAM use. Adjusted means for arthritis symptoms were reported by current use of CAM MTs and current use of yoga.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 19% (n = 398) of the total respondents were "currently using" some form of MT. Of those reporting current use, 89.2% of the participants reported current use of yoga. After adjustment for a variety of characteristics, relative to participants who reported no current CAM MT use, participants with current use of CAM MT had significantly increased pain symptoms and a higher level of perceived helplessness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This descriptive study indicates that patients with arthritis or chronic joint symptoms selecting CAM MT for self-management may be doing so because of more symptom involvement, specifically more pain and feelings of helplessness. Because of its increasing use, yoga warrants special attention by practitioners as a nonpharmacologic self-management therapy for arthritis symptoms.
authors.affiliation: 1 Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY.|2 Department of Allied Health Sciences, Division of Physical Therapy, School of Medicine and the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Thelma J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Mielenz
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Changfu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: 4 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Thurston Arthritis, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Leigh F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Callahan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged