Effect of exercise on morning stiffness and mobility in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The effects of evening exercises on arthrographic measures of elastic stiffness, subjective ratings of stiffness, and graphic goniometric measures of mobility were examined in 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Measures were obtained on 2 consecutive mornings, one of which was randomly determined to be preceded by evening exercise. Each morning, elastic stiffness and mobility were measured before and after morning exercise. After the final measurements of elastic stiffness and mobility on the second day, patients compared stiffness on the 2 days. Elastic stiffness and subjective ratings of stiffness were less and mobility was greater when evening exercises were performed (p less than 0.001). The relationships between elastic stiffness and subjective ratings of stiffness indicated that the effect of evening exercise was perceived as greater when elastic stiffness was greater, and 21 patients reported less stiffness with evening exercise (p less than .05).