Effects of Aerobic and Resistive Exercise on Muscle Measurements and Body Composition in Female Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective This study aimed to show the effects of different exercise types on disease activity, pain, functional status, and quality of life in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis with low disease activity or in remission and supported these findings with body composition and muscle measurements. Design This randomized controlled prospective study screened female patients aged 20–50 years with rheumatoid arthritis. The patients were randomized into 12-wk resistance exercise, aerobic exercise, and control groups. Results The mean age of the 66 patients was 42.5 ± 5.6 yrs. In the resistance and aerobic exercise groups compared with the control group, a positive significant difference was found in the pain, disease activity, several subparameters of quality of life, M. gastrocnemius, and M. biceps femoris muscle thickness measurements, and fat mass in the lower limbs before and after treatment ( P < 0.05). Compared with the other groups, the resistance exercise group showed a significant improvement in M. rectus femoris and M. vastus intermedius muscle thickness measurements, whole body fat mass, whole body and lower extremity lean body mass, and timed up and go test when comparing before and after treatment ( P < 0.05). Conclusions In rheumatoid arthritis patients, resistance exercises led to a significant increase in muscle thickness, functional status, lean body mass compared with other exercises; resistance exercises also resulted in a significant reduction in pain and disease activity.