Study: No Significant Benefit Found in Aquatic Programs for Children with Arthritis

Aquatic training for juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients is safe, but it does not provide any significant benefits, according to a study reported in the November issue of Rheumatology.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a relatively rare disease, affecting about one in a thousand children. Some people believe that exercising in a warm-water pool can help such children achieve better mobility and lessen their pain.

The study involved 54 patients between the ages of five and 13 years with the disease. The children were split into two groups that either underwent a supervised water training program one hour a week for 20 weeks or did not engage in such therapy.

The researchers evaluated the two group's functional ability, health-related quality of life, joint status and physical fitness.

Although all measures improved more in the experimental group than the control group, none of the differences was statistically significant, the Dutch researchers concluded. However, they did note that aquatic exercise is safe for arthritic children.

Other sources: Rheumatology 2003; 42: 1408-1414