Now new research by an academic physiotherapist could shed more light on how sufferers’ psychological wellbeing can be improved when exercise is used to reduce joint pain. The research is to be carried out Mike Hurley, professional of rehabilitation services at Kingston University and St George’s, University of London.
His work will be financed with a grant of £42,000 from Arthritis Research UK, the medical research charity dedicated to the study of arthritis and support for sufferers.
Around 10 million people in the UK are affected by arthritis, making it the country’s the main cause of disability and pain. The most common form of the condition is osteoarthritis, known as the “wear-and-tear” arthritis, where the cartilage or tissue around the joints wears or thins and the bones rub painfully together. Rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common type of arthritis and is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the tissues around the joints.
Sufferers often have chronic joint pain that limits their ability to carry out day-to-day activities. There is a tendency then to do less to alleviate the pain, leading to the joints becoming stiffer and more painful with less use. Many patients report that their self-confidence suffers because of their condition and often this can lead to isolation and feelings of anxiety and depression.
Professor Hurley will look at existing research that has already demonstrated the beneficial effects of exercise on both the physical and psychological wellbeing of arthritis sufferers. His project will aim to explain how exercise programmes that are more effective and specifically tailored for arthritis patients can then be delivered.
These might include group exercise to encourage patients who are feeling isolated to join a social situation that will also deliver health benefits through more flexible and less painful joints.