The Effect of the Resistance Exercise Program on Daily Performance in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

저항운동 프로그램이 류마티스 관절염 환자의 일상 활동 수행 능력에 미치는 효과

In an attempt to measure effects of the Programmed Resistance Exercise on the daily performance of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a quasi-experiment ; non-synchronised control group pre-post-test, was carried out for 8 weeks : from June 3 to November 29, 1996. 25 for the experimental group and 26 for the control group were conveniently sampled among registered out-patients on rheumatoid arthritis clinic of Anam Hospital, Korea University Medical Center. The programmed experimental resistance exercises were carried out by the experimental group five times a week for eight weeks. Before and after experiments, level of functional task performance, functional disability, joint mobility, ESR, CRP, self-efficacy and family support were measured and statistically analysed. The results of the analysis of the effects on the Programmed Resistance Exercise are as follows : 1. A statistically significant post-test effects on functional task performance were revealed : 1) the experimental group climbed up and down the 10 steps of the stairs significantly faster than the control group(P=0.0001). 2) the experimental group walked 100 m significantly faster than the control group (P=0.0000). 3) After the experiment, the experimental group could sit down and get up from chairs with no armrest as low as 30cm, 40cm, 50cm on their on, with no assistance as opposed to the control group who could not sit down and get up from such low chairs (P=0.0084). 4) the experimental group lifted 0-15 kg object up to their own heights with no specific strain than the control group (P=0.0000). 2. A significant reduction in the functional disabilities was revealed in the experimental group(P=0.0017). 3. A notable incresement of the joint mobility was revealed in the experimental group. 4. A decrease in the ESR in both the experimental and the control groups was noticed, however, the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.9546). 5. The CRP of both the experimental and control groups decreased with no significant difference (P=0.6022). 6. The self-efficacy increased significantly in the experimental group(P=0.0042), however, no significant effect of self-efficacy on the actual practice of the program was noticed. 7. The family support revealed to be significantly higher in the experimental group (P=0.0013), however, the effect of the family support on actual practice of the program revealed not significant. Judging from the results of these experiments, the resistance exercise program not only improves the functional capacity of rheumatoid arthritis, but also diminishes their functional disabilities and has a great influence on increasing their joint mobility, self-efficacy, and family support. Concluding, in promoting the daily performance of rheumatoid arthritis, the resistance exercise program would be an appropriate nursing intervention.