The Effect of a Proprioceptive Exercises Programme on Disease Activity and Gait Biomechanical Parameters of Post-Menopausal Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis

This study aimed to assess the effects of a proprioceptive exercises programme on disease activity and on ankle kinematic and kinetic parameters of post-menopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. Twenty-seven post-menopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis were allocated to exercise group (n = 15) or control group (n = 12). Exercise group intervention: proprioceptive exercises (12 weeks; 3 one-on-one workouts/week; 30 min/workout). Control group intervention: stretching exercises (12 weeks; 1 one-on-one workout every two weeks; 30 min/workout). Disease Activity Score (28 joints) was used to assess disease activity. A 3D motion analysis system (9 cameras, 200 Hz) and a force plate (1000 Hz) were used to collect kinematic and kinetic data during a barefoot walking at self-selected speed. For each subjects’ foot, 7 trials of the stance phase were collected. One subject withdrawal was registered in exercise group. Post-intervention, exercise group’ subjects yielded higher gait speed, shorter stance phase, shorter controlled dorsiflexion sub-phase, and higher ankle power peak (p < 0.05), however, they showed no differences in Disease Activity Score, ankle moment of force peak, and variability of biomechanical parameters; control group’ subjects showed no differences in all parameters. Proprioceptive exercises seemed to be a safe option to gain gait biomechanical improvements in post-menopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis.