Study: Exercise May Help Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis Avoid Osteoporosis

Results of a new study appearing in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases suggest that exercise could help women with rheumatoid arthritis avoid osteoporosis.

The study included 67 women who had suffered from the disease for an average of 15 years. Most had been treated with glucocorticoids -- a steroid that increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Danish researchers compared the strength of the women's thigh muscles to various measures of bone strength, and found that women who had below-normal thigh bone density also had 20 percent less strength in thigh muscles than women whose thigh bones were of normal density.

In contrast, women with the strongest thigh muscles also had the most dense bone mass.

"This finding indicates that physical activity including muscle
strengthening exercises may play a part in the prevention of bone loss in these patients," the researchers concluded.

Other sources: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases