已往的研究表明，功能锻炼可以缓解类风湿性关节炎患者的关节疼痛和改善关节功能（如增大活动范围等）。最近，更有研究报告内心更强大（即相信自己能行或能够完成某项任务～心理学上将其称之为“自我效能/ self-efficacy）的类风湿性关节炎患者能够更好地完成医护人员为其制定体育锻炼的计划，即这类患者通过体育锻炼达到缓解疼痛和改善关节功能的效果往往更好。值得关注啊！

Realistic Activity Goals Seem to Ease Arthritis Pain, Study Finds

Belief in ability to do exercise, and following through, can improve life for rheumatoid arthritis patients

By Robert Preidt

THURSDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Rheumatoid arthritis patients who believe in their ability to achieve physical activity goals -- called self-efficacy -- are more likely to reach those objectives, researchers have found.

The investigators also found that patients who achieve their physical activity goals have lower levels of arthritis pain and a higher quality of life.

Researchers in the Netherlands conducted an initial assessment of the physical activity levels, motivation, self-efficacy for physical activity, levels of arthritis pain and quality of life of 106 rheumatoid arthritis patients.

When the assessment was repeated six months later, 75 percent of the patients rated their physical activity goal achievement at 50 percent or more. Those with higher levels of self-efficacy for physical activity were more likely to achieve their physical activity goals, the study authors noted.

In addition, the patients who reached their physical activity goals reported less arthritis pain and a better quality of life, according to the study published in the Aug. 25 online edition of the journal Arthritis Care & Research.

"Our results suggest that an increased focus on self-efficacy enhancement, realistic goal-setting, and techniques that increase the likelihood of goal achievement will assist clinicians and researchers to develop interventions that have a positive impact on pain reduction and quality of life outcomes for rheumatoid arthritis patients," study author Keegan Knittle, of Leiden University, said in a journal news release.

SOURCE: Arthritis Care & Research, news release, Aug. 25, 2011