Completed Projects Fitness

Fitness and Exercise for People with Arthritis

Funding Number

S3497

Project Description

There is evidence that people with arthritis who participate in appropriate types of physical activity can improve physical function and pain management. Most existing programs focus on improving flexibility and balance and are very low intensity. Less attention had been paid to aerobic conditioning and overall functional fitness. To address some of these concerns, this project proposes to develop and implement a nonaquatic physical activity program to increase health-related and functional fitness in adults with arthritis.

Project Objectives

• To develop a systematic and progressive program that integrates muscular and aerobic conditioning, balance, and trunk/pelvic stabilization exercises emphasizing joint-protective, multiplane movement patterns that mimic those used in everyday activities.
• Implement the Fitness and Exercise for People with Arthritis program in an ethnically diverse, low socioeconomic status community sample of adults with arthritis.
• Conduct process, outcome, and impact evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the FEPA program for increasing short- and intermediate-term health and functional fitness outcomes.

Abstracts, Publications, Presentations

Levy SS, Macera CA, Lopez R, Coleman K, Hootman J, Nichols J, Marshall S. Effects of an exercise program on functional fitness and arthritis-specific outcomes: Fitness and Exercise for People with Arthritis (FEPA). Rapid Communication poster, Society of Behavioral Medicine's 29th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions, March 26-29, 2008, San Diego, CA.

Principal Investigator

Caroline A. Macera, Ph.D.
Professor
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Graduate School of Public Health
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-4162
(619) 767-4769 (phone)
(619) 594-6112 (fax)
cmacera@mail.sdsu.edu

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