Determinants of range of joint motion in patients with early symptomatic osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee: an exploratory study in the CHECK cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Reduced range of motion (ROM) is supposed to be a characteristic feature of osteoarthritis (OA). Because little is known about determinants of ROM, the objective of the present study was to explore the association between demographic, articular, and clinical factors and ROM in patients with early symptomatic knee and/or hip OA. DESIGN: Baseline data of 598 participants of the Cohort Hip and Cohort Knee (CHECK) study were used in this cross-sectional study. METHODS: Separate analyses were performed for participants with knee and participants with hip symptoms. Active knee flexion, and hip internal rotation, external rotation, flexion, adduction, and abduction were assessed using a goniometer. Participants underwent a standardised physical and radiographic examination, and completed a questionnaire. Exploratory regression analyses were performed to explore the association between ROM and demographic [i.e., age, gender, body mass index (BMI)], articular [i.e., osteophytosis, joint space narrowing (JSN)], and clinical (i.e., pain, stiffness) factors. RESULTS: In patients with early symptomatic knee OA, osteophytosis, bony enlargement, crepitus, pain, and higher BMI were associated with lower knee flexion. JSN was associated with lower ROM in all planes of motion. In addition, osteophytosis, flattening of the femoral head, femoral buttressing, pain, morning stiffness, male gender, and higher BMI were found to be associated with lower hip ROM in two planes of motion. CONCLUSION: Features of articular degeneration are associated with lower knee ROM and lower hip ROM in patients with early OA. Pain, stiffness, higher BMI, and male gender are associated with lower ROM as well.

Recreational exercise in rheumatic diseases.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in health-related quality of life after eight to twelve months of recreational exercise in patients with rheumatic diseases (inflammatory joint disease, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and other generalized pain syndromes), and to determine whether patient (age, sex, diagnosis) and exercise characteristics (follow-up time, type of activity, frequency of participation) are related to health-related quality of life change. Health-related quality of life was assessed twice in 138 patients with rheumatic diseases. 1) At enrolment in a centre for outpatient recreational exercise and 2) following eight to twelve months of recreational exercise. Health-related quality of life was measured using the Short-Form Health Survey 36 and three numeric rating scales for pain, fatigue and general condition. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influence of patient and exercise characteristics on follow-up HRQoL-score. Patients showed significant improvements in pain and general condition, and reported a positive change in health. A diagnosis of inflammatory joint disease (e. g. rheumatoid arthritis, polyarthritis, spondylitis) or osteoarthritis, participating in sports activities two to three times per week, and following land-based fitness classes were associated with the most improvement in health-related quality of life. Regular participation in recreational exercise contributes to improved health-related quality of life in patients with rheumatic diseases.