Upper limb exercise lowers pain and improves hand function, daily activity performance, and quality of life in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a pilot clinical trial.
The trial’s results, “The impact of upper limb exercise on function, daily activities and quality of life in systemic lupus erythematosus: a pilot randomised controlled trial,” were published in the journal RMD Open.
People with SLE often experience fatigue, joint and/or muscle pain, and muscle weakness, which can significantly affect their ability to complete daily tasks and work activities.
A previous review study concluded that full body exercise was safe and improved physical fitness in SLE patients, while lessening fatigue and depression.
Several studies have highlighted the therapeutic benefits of upper limb exercise on hand and daily functioning, as well as on quality of life in rheumatic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and osteoarthritis. Whether this type of exercise promotes the same benefits in people with SLE is undetermined.
A team at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, in Greece, conducted a 24-week pilot clinical trial (NCT03802578) to evaluate the clinical impact of upper limb exercise in participants with SLE.
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